The Traveler
by Kalika Aryn
Summary: Completed: After the destruction of the Ring, a prophecy comes to light in Middle Earth, telling of a way for Sauron to rise again and cover all of Middle Earth in Darkness, and it all rests with a girl brought to Middle Earth, becoming The Traveler.
1. So Much Sorrow

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Disclaimer: All characters found in this story that can also be found in any of the Lord of the Rings books are not mine, nor will they ever be, sadly because they are ONLY characters and no matter how hard I hope, Legolas ain't becoming real anytime soon. All of the said characters belong to J.R.R. Tolkein, the genius. The only character that is truly mine is Ariana, because she is me.

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Warning: This story has no rhyme or reason. I changed certain characters, just because I liked them better, like Gandalf the White is described as Gandalf the Grey because the blue hat is the best. This story also contains some matter referring to God and His existence. If you don't like that kind of thing, I'll totally understand if you decide not to read it.

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The Traveler: Chapter One 

Ariana slowly picked through her mail as she unlocked the door to her apartment. The little cubbyhole she called her home was nothing more then a bedroom with a kitchen attached to the side. The bathroom was nothing much to marvel at either, just the norm cramped into even less area. 

It was all she was able to afford though, on her waitress salary, but it was the only job she'd been able to find that wasn't going to work her to death. Everyday she was tempted to quit, being a professional waitress didn't really get her blood racing anyway. She didn't want to be fifty and be busing tables. 

When she wasn't working off bills or sleeping, Ariana spent her time trying to break into the world of writing. Nothing made her happier then the time she could sit on her couch with her laptop and create her own worlds. Worlds filled with life and death, good vs. evil, princesses, elves, wizards, dragons. She had a thing with writing fantasy and sci-fi. More of her stories were about far off worlds filled with aliens and born-to-be heroes then anything else. Sometimes she'd write a scary story about a young girl trapped at home with a killer, but she never loved those stories like the others.

She guessed it was the fact that with her sci-fi or fantasy, she could create anything she wanted. Talking horses, fairy princesses, white knights and in her mind that was all possible. With real life horror, it was too real for her. Then again, if someone was to ask her about any of this she'd have just smiled and changed the subject. Ariana's writing was her own, kept locked away in her imagination or on her laptop, the only thing worth a nickel in her apartment, one of the many bills she was paying off. 

Ariana sighed as she ripped open the letter and read the first few lines. 

__

Mrs. Korvec-

Although we found A Bottled World to be an amazing

work of art we cannot publish it at this time. Please… 

It was no surprise to Ariana; her last three ideas had been rejected. Each time she went to a new publisher it was the same answer. _Sorry no thanks. Not appropriate at this time. No way loser_. Each one was the same, a slap in her face. After the second one crushed all her hopes of getting her story published, she finally realized a second job was needed and that's how the waitressing job came about. 

She sat the letter down on the counter top and began to massage her temples. Her day had already been pretty bad, she'd dropped a plate at work, which was coming out of her paycheck and she hadn't made very much in tips. 

She let her hands fall to her sides and she looked around her crummy little apartment. She'd been there only a few months and hardly had anything to show for it. There were a few pictures of her friends and family on the walls, an old sofa, and a dinged-up coffee table with a few magazines on the top. 

__

Who even knows I'm here? She thought as she sat down at her kitchen table and rested her head in her hands. 

Just then something banged against the door. She jerked her head up and looked around the dim room. Her eyes darted around but she didn't see anything, and then she realized the bang had been at the front door. 

Ariana pulled herself out of the chair and walked to the front door. She looked out the little peephole and didn't see anyone. She unlocked the door and pulled it open. She looked around the cul-de-sac at the end of the hall but didn't see anyone standing around. Her eyes drew down to the floor, where a brown package laid. She gave it a puzzled looked and bent to pick it up. She paused for a second to listen, while thinking about bombs and explosions, but when she didn't hear ticking, she picked it up. 

The package was small and rectangular. It wasn't very big; it fit right in her hands. There was no marking on the outside of the package. Nothing to tell her where it had come from or who it was meant for. She backed into her apartment and shut the door. 

"Ok, I give," she said as she began to pull the paper off the package. She thought she might have a secret admirer, but dismissed the thought the moment she had it. She'd never had one and probably never would. 

She gave herself a small frown and pulled the last of the wrapping off the package. It wasn't a package anymore; it seemed to be a book. Leather bond, it, like the wrapping, had no marks or letters to tell what it was. It had the look of old leather, the kind of books one would find at a flea market or garage sale, the kind of books Ariana loved. 

She opened the inside cover, looking for a name or address of who might have owned the book before but all she found was a small inscription. It was an odd looking language, if that's what it was. She thought it might have just been a few small squiggles on the inside cover. She furrowed her brow and studied the inscription. 

She looked around the empty kitchen once more and turned the page of the book. There was no page to tell the title of the story or an author, so she turned to the beginning of the text and began to read.

__

When Mr. Bilbo Baggins of Bag End announced that he would shortly be celebrating his eleventy-first birthday with a party of special magnificence, there was much talk and excitement in Hobbiton….

Hobbiton? Like in hobbits? Ariana slipped her finger in-between the pages and felt something on one of the pages. She flipped farther into the book and in-between two pages she found a small silver chain and pendent. The little charm was a criss-cross of silver with a small green marble in the middle. It caught the light in the kitchen and sparkled. 

Ariana stared at the necklace. She figured someone was definitely going to be missing this book and necklace soon. 'Finders keepers, losers weepers.' She smiled at the nursery rhyme and slipped the necklace over her head. If they come looking for it, I'll give it up. She then flipped the book over onto the table and stood up. She figured what the hell, she'd give the book a whirl and see what was up with it, but first she needed a shower. 

Ariana took her time in the bath, slowly soaking the day away. She closed her eyes and thought about her next story. Her mind wondered back to the plain book sitting on her kitchen table. She suddenly got an itch to read more of the story, so she climbed out of the tub and dried herself off. She slipped on her favorite pair of jeans and a white tank top and walked into her kitchen. 

The book was gone. She looked all around her kitchen. She couldn't find it anywhere. She wrapped her arms around herself and shivered. She wondered if maybe someone had broken in and had stolen it. Why would they steal the book and nothing else? She shivered and fingered the necklace around her neck. The metal was cold against her skin. 

She gave a sigh and checked the lock on her front door. It was still locked and the chain was still across the door jam. She didn't understand what had happened to the book. She was a little flustered as she went to bed. She pulled the covers back and picked up her hairbrush off the table beside her bed. After brushing her short hair a few times, she went to the bathroom to take out her contacts. 

She stepped up to the sink and looked at her reflection. She could see small bags forming under her eyes. She let out a long sigh and looked down into the sink and noticed it was filled with water. 

"What's going on?" She grabbed the plug and tried to pull it out, but it was stuck. "Ok then. That's just peachy." The plug was holding fast at the bottom of the sink. 

Ariana placed one hand on either side of the sink and hung her head. She was tired and didn't feel like messing with something like this, this late at night. 

She stood up and looked into the mirror on the wall above the sink. Wow, I need to re-dye my hair. The light-blonde highlights in her dirty-blonde hair were beginning to creep down her head. She ran her fingers through it and shrugged. Or not.

Just then she noticed the water in the sink was swirling. Maybe the plug came up. She bent over and looked a little closer. Or… not. The water was spinning around the sink, but Ariana couldn't see anything that was causing it. She watched it for a few seconds and then looked up into the mirror. 

"Well, that's weird," she said to herself. Just then the lights dimmed and the water became cloudy. She took a step back from the sink.

She heard a soft rumble begin in the distance. She looked around the room and saw the pictures shaking and the bottles on the cabinet moving dangerously close to the edge. "Oh shit," she whispered to herself. Her eyes came back to the sink. She saw a picture begin to take shape in the mist of the water. Taking a timid step back to the sink, Ariana peered over the edge. She saw flames in the water. Bright oranges, yellows and reds danced across her face. 

As she watched the flames dancing in her sink, she felt the metal of the necklace growing warmer against her skin. The glass orb in the middle of the pendent turned from its dark green to a fiery orange. The orange swirled in the bead just like the water in the sink.

Then she saw a face begin to appear in the surface of the water. It was a woman, with long blonde hair and some of the greenest eyes Ariana had ever seen. The woman's eyes were filled with rage and hatred. Ariana couldn't look away from them. She felt entranced by them.

Ariana couldn't understand why the women's eyes were filled with such hatred. There was violence in them. A fear settled into Ariana's heart and she stepped back once again from the sink. She was about to run out of the room when she heard a voice. Ariana couldn't understand it. The words were dark and beautiful, softly flowing around her and pulling her to the sink. 

She couldn't help herself. She stepped up the mirror and peered down into the women's eyes. She watched the water and the woman's eyes and as she did, she became dizzy. Strange and frightening images flashed before her eyes. Pictures of fire and death, light and dark danced before her. She grabbed the edge of the sink to keep from falling. She stood there, hanging onto the edge, staring into mirror. Her thoughts became jumbled. What is this?…

* * *

Gandalf sat at the small window, watching the sky and smoking his pipe. The stars had come out earlier then normally, shining their light on all of Middle Earth. The dark night sky was normally a soothing sight to the old wizard, but not tonight. Tonight, the sky had a dark hue, so dark the sky looked like ink, which all but blotted out the small stars. There is an evil is coming.

But that could not be true. The Ring was destroyed. He thought of the Fellowship, of his good friend Frodo Baggins. Frodo and Sam had been successful in destroying the One Ring.

But he felt the evil growing again. That same shadow that had covered Mirkwood long ago was back again. Many whispers of queer happenings were being spread about the dark shadowing.

The old wizard sat back in his chair and concentrated on his pipe. His mind wondered back to the shadows.

Then he felt a pull in his mind. Something he should remember. Sadly, after so many years, his mind was not as sharp as it used to be. 

He remembered the great wizard Nahron. Nahron had been neither evil nor good. He'd simply existed with the other creatures of Middle Earth. 

Some time ago though, Sauron, the Dark Lord himself, had summoned Nahron before the forging of the One Ring. Sauron… Gandalf furrowed his brow and tried to recall the rest of the tale. He knew this was the key to stopping the new evil that was creeping back into Middle Earth.

Gandalf set his pipe down and closed his eyes. Piece by piece the story came to him. When it was complete he began packing. He had to get to Mirkwood before it was too late, before Sauron's powers reached the traveler.

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****Notes****

Ok. So, this is my first fan fic. It needs work, I know. I'm also very aware of the fact this is borderline Mary Sue, and YES, I'M OK WITH IT! If I didn't want it to be Mary Sue, I wouldn't have written it. So, if you have a problem with it, please, PLEASE don't review with only harsh words. Yes, I'm all for constructive criticism, but nothing that's going to hurt feelings, ok?


	2. A Prophecy Comes to Light

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The Traveler: Chapter Two 

Did I forget to close the blinds or something? Ariana could feel the light shining onto her eyelids and the heat from the sun. Then she heard a bird's call and knew something was wrong. "Oh shit." She opened her eyes to a world of green trees and bright blue skies. Oh yeah, something's wrong.

Ariana brought her hands up and rubbed her face. She laid on her back for a few minutes, trying to get her bearings. She followed the line of the trees up to the sky. They were taller then any trees she'd ever seen before. The colors were so vibrate and bright she could almost feel them. All the freaking' colors of the rainbow.

She sat up and rubbed the back of her neck. Her fingers caught the chain of the necklace. The memory of the women's face and the creepy images that had appeared in her sink came flooding back to her. 

She winced as a pain in the back of her head throbbed, the beginning of a brutal headache to come. She didn't know what was going on. She couldn't remember any woods like these around her apartment. Nothing in the whole state of Ohio looked like this. After a few minutes of confusion she stood up and dusted off her jeans and tank top. 

Well, standing here isn't going to do a lot of good. If I am going to get outta here, wherever that is, I'm really going to need some help. She took a few steps and felt a pain shot through her knee. "Crap!" Her knee gave out and she fell back to the ground. Oh, how I hate you gravity. She sighed and starting massaging her knee. Well this is great. I'm lost in the woods... and my knee has decided to give out on me. She felt a sob building up inside her and pushed it away. She really didn't need blurry vision along with everything else right now. Actually, she was surprised at how calm she was. All that damn violence in the media. Desensitizing bullshit. 

It was at this moment that she felt eyes on her. She lifted her head and looked around. She couldn't see anyone, but that didn't mean someone wasn't there. Her gaze lingered on a bush on her right, but she didn't see anything, and began massaging her knee again. 

After a few minutes her knee felt better and she decided the only way to find out was to test it. She stood up and put some of her weight on it. It held, and she took a step. Well, that's a plus. She turned around and looked behind her. All she saw in both directions was forest. She didn't know which way to go. All I need is a sign... preferably one that says "Civilization - This way." 

She sighed and pulled a quarter out of her pocket, then she pulled off a shoe and pointed it one direction. "Ok, shoe is heads, tails is no shoe." She flicked the quarter into the air and watched it spin. Then she watched as an arrow flashed through the air, pierced the quarter and slammed it into a tree in front of her. "Hey!"

She moved to turn and look behind her when she felt something hard and cold against her neck. She heard soft breathing from the person behind her. Whoever it was wasn't even breathing heavy. Great, I've been here twenty minutes and now I'm going to die. 

"What are you doing out here? Who are you?" she heard a soft but strong voice ask. She couldn't believe that the person who owned that voice could be holding a dagger to her throat at the moment.

"Um, I don't know what I'm doing here. As odd as it might sound, I kinda just dropped in, and I don't know why. I can't explain it because I don't even know the answer." She hoped this stranger would realize that she wasn't a threat and let her go. The idea of the blade so close to her throat wasn't the greatest feeling in the world. 

He seemed to understand that she wasn't going to hurt him, so he pulled the dagger away and she heard it return to it's pouch. She let out a sigh of relief and she heard him take a step back.

She bent over and slipped her foot back into her sneaker, and then she turned to look at her mystery marksman and was momentarily stunned by the blonde haired man in front of her. He wore a tunic of greens and browns. His hair was pulled back from his face on either sides by a braid down his back. He stood before her, his shoulders held back proudly. He looked almost godly to her.

* * *

Legolas had been walking through the woods, singing to himself and becoming spellbound by the silence when he heard Ariana's "Oh shit!" He walked up to the road and came upon a short, blonde hair girl sitting in the middle of the road. He crouched down behind a bush to watch this new being in his woods. 

He watched her look around the woods. Her face was full of confusion and beauty. He did not know why he trusted her face already but his feelings were set. She stood up and for a second, it looked as though she was going to take a step towards him, when she let out a cry and fell back onto the ground. He'd almost stepped out from behind his cover, but he did not know this girl, and knew it would be foolish to leave his cover for her. 

Her hands moved to her left knee and she began massaging it. Her face was now filled with pain. He could see an aura of pain around her knee. He wanted nothing but to help her and take away her pain. He didn't understand it. He didn't know who she was, or where she was from, but he already felt drawn to her. 

After a few minutes, she stood again. He watched her test the knee and smiled when she took a few steps with nothing more then a slight limp. 

The next thing she did confused him. She pulled a sliver disk from her pocket and then pulled off her a shoe and pointed it down the road to Mirkwood. He became nervous. Maybe he shouldn't trust her; she didn't look like an elf, or any other creature that he'd ever meet. She then said some strange words and threw the disk into the air. He pulled out an arrow and sent it hurling into it. He watched as her face showed her disappointment and then he moved towards her and pulled out his dagger. Before she could turn towards him he placed the dagger at her throat. How could I have been so wrong about her?

* * *

Ariana had to stop staring at this man so she dusted off her jeans again and looked about the woods. After a few minutes of studying the same leaves she looked back to him. What the hell has happened, she thought to herself as she watched him studying her.

"Where are you from?" Legolas asked her again. Her answer before had confused him. "Why do you say you 'dropped' in?"

She noticed how his hand never strayed far from his knife. She knew she didn't want it pointed at her throat again, but she knew he wouldn't pull it on her again, though she didn't know why. 

"Because that's what happened. One minute, I'm in my…." She looked at him. His ice blue eyes were locked on hers. "… apartment, looking into my sink and then a picture formed. The picture was filled with flames… I think I blacked out, then I'm here, in the middle of no-where with arrows flying by my head." He listened to her every word and said nothing. 

She sighed and felt that same sob again in the back of her throat. After saying it out loud, she seemed even more pitiful then before. She felt a tear on her cheek. "I don't know what to do," she whispered. He watched her sink back to the ground and pulled her knees to her chest. Great first impression, Ariana, she thought to herself as she covered her face with her hands.

* * *

Legolas dropped to his knees beside her. Her cries pained him. He'd only met her moments before and already felt such a deep connection, though he could find nothing that caused it. He now only wanted to soothe her pain, to protect her. No, he hadn't been mistaken about his instincts. He never should have pulled his dagger on her. He placed his hand on her back and told her he would try to help her in anyway he could. He rubbed her back and waited for her sobs to stop.

He watched as she wiped her tears and then she looked up into his eyes. Her eyes engulfed him; they folded around him and pulled him to her. He couldn't stop staring into them. 

* * *

His eyes, they are so beautiful, Ariana thought. The deep blues of his eyes hypnotized her. They reminded her of the old cliché of the sea after a storm, but that was exactly what they looked like. After a silent moment of looking into each other eyes Ariana finally looked away. She could feel herself blushing. When she looked back she could see a faint smile on the man's face. 

"There is something that could help," she said as the stranger helped her up off the ground. When she was standing she began to finger the pendent. She did it without even realizing it. The bead stayed its dark greenish color, almost as though it was sleeping. 

"What is that?" he asked as he walked to the tree with his arrow. He had turned to the tree before she'd begun to play with the necklace. Ariana watched him pull it out; the quarter actually had a hole through the middle. Damn, she thought and she released the charm. 

"When I was looking into the flames, I saw this face." She stopped and looked at him. She didn't know how to describe the women who had appeared in the sink.

Legolas turned to her from the tree and looked down the road towards Mirkwood. "What did it look like?"

She took a moment to collect her words. "It was a woman. She had long blonde hair, and, well, she was probably the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen." She paused and thought about the eyes. "But something was weird. Her eyes were filled with fire." She looked Legolas in the eye, "It seemed like she hated me."

Ariana watched Legolas' brow crease as he thought about this. She looked down the road the way he had been looking and saw nothing too important. 

When Ariana looked back to Legolas he was staring at her. "Who you described, it sounds to be Galadriel the Lady of Lótiren." He paused and looked down at the ground. "But why has she brought you here?" he asked himself more than her.

Now that Legolas knew this girl was here for a reason, that it was Galadriel who had brought her here; he wanted to get her to Lothórien quickly.

Ariana shrugged to his question. She was just as lost as him, maybe a little more. Who in the hell is Galadriel?

"I'll help you to Lothórien. If it is Galadriel who has brought you here, it must be important." He turned and stepped down the path in the direction Ariana's shoe had been pointing. She fell into step beside him.

She smiled at him and said, "By the way, my name is Ariana Korvec."

"And I am Legolas Greenleaf, Lady Ariana."

"Oh, please. Just Ariana."

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****Notes****

Yay for chapter two! I wish I had a sign that said 'Civilization - This way.' [All disclaimers and warnings can be found at the beginning of the first chapter.]


	3. Entering Mirkwood

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The Traveler: Chapter Three

Legolas kept watching her from the corner of his eye. As they walked Ariana's bangs fall onto her face and he had to keep himself from reaching over and tucking it behind her ear.

Ariana noticed him watching her and she cut him a glance. His hair was pulled back from his face, nestled behind his ear. She looked a little harder and noticed the slight point to the tip of his ear. She wondered what was going on as her gaze trailed down his profile. His beauty really had her going. She knew she shouldn't trust him just because he had a pretty face… and body. She looked back to the path. 

All of a sudden, the book came back to her then. She remembered that a name had been used, what was it? Bozo? Bilbo? Bilbo! She smiled at herself. Maybe cute-boy here knows who Bilbo Baggins is.

Just she was about to ask she felt her knee crack giving out completely and in a flash Legolas was holding her. Tears automatically sprang to her eyes and were running down her cheeks.

"Shit, I'm sorry," she said as she pressed her hand against his back. She couldn't remember the pain ever being this bad before. Her knee felt like jelly. She wondered if maybe she'd landed wrong when she fell into this place. 

"Would you like to rest?" Legolas asked her. 

She bit her lip and nodded her head. He helped her down onto the ground then he sat by her side. He saw the same aura of pain radiating from her knee. 

Ariana grabbed the bottom of her left pants leg and rolled it up to her thigh. Her knee was completely bruised. The scars were the darkest they'd ever been. They looked worse then when they had right after her last surgery. She let out a little moan as she lightly fingered the knee. 

Legolas looked at her knee and asked, "Who did that to you?"

Ariana looked over at him. Her head was spinning. The pain was making her dizzy. Like the mirror…

"I hurt it a few years ago and my doc fixed it. I guess I screwed it up again on the way here." She looked over at him and gave him a weak smile. She tried to massage her knee again but it hurt too much to touch it. She let her hand rest on top of it and she could feel heat coming off it. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Here. Let me try." Legolas said as he placed his hands on top of Ariana's. She looked him in the eye. She felt her heart actually speed up. She pulled her hand back and said, "I'll give you a kiss you if you make the pain stop."

He smiled at her and placed his hand on her knee. She closed her eyes and braced herself for the pain, but nothing came. She felt his fingers dance across her skin, like butterfly kisses. She opened her eyes and watched him slowly caress the skin, slowly stroking her knee. The pain began to subdue. 

She let out a long breath and she closed her eyes.

Legolas looked up at Ariana's face. He worked his fingers around her knee and studied her face. He'd never seen a girl who looked like her. The curves of her face were gentle and created a beautiful sight. Her blonde hair framed it and sent chills down Legolas' spin. But why? I barely know this girl. He continued to watch her face until she opened her eyes a few minutes later.

"Why did you stop? I mean, thank you. It feels, I mean the pain stopped." She pulled the leg of her pants down. Legolas looked down at his hands. He must have stopped massaging her knee while he studied her face. He didn't even realize it. He stood and then helped her up. 

She took a few timid steps away from him. Then she turned, raised her arms in the air and smiled. "All better." She winced and dropped her arms back to her side.

Legolas stepped to her. "When we got to Mirkwood, they will give you something to help. I'm sorry I could not help you." He slipped an arm around her waist and helped her up. He smiled at her. "I'll help you."

Ariana couldn't do anything but smile at him. "You helped plenty. Thank you."

* * *

They walked for twenty minutes before they reached Mirkwood. She didn't talk much to Legolas, partially because she didn't know what to say and the other part was that she was trying not to scream. Her knee, though Legolas had helped, had definitely seen better days. Every time she took a step she could feel little needles pricking inside her knee. It kept growing worse as they walked. 

Legolas kept to himself also. He was wondering about this girl that he was bringing closer and closer to his people. She didn't have any weapons, though if she had any powers, she wouldn't need weapons. But she doesn't seem evil. Legolas looked over at her face and watched her grimace as she took another step with him. When she took her next step he heard her suck in a breath and tense up. 

Ariana couldn't stand it. Something is broke in there, that's the only explanation. Her whole knee began to feel like it was made of Jell-O. Just before she collapsed for the third time, Legolas swept her up into her arms. She turned her head and looked into his eyes. Then she wiped away her tears and wrapped her arms around his neck. He held her for a second then began walking into Mirkwood. 

Ariana lifted her head once and looked around the forest as they neared Mirkwood. The trees criss-crossed each other at every turn. Most bent in and weaved into each other that it was hard to tell which branch let to which tree. Hardly any sunlight made it through the weave of branches. What little light managed to make it through sparkled on the forest floor. No wonder it's so cool under here, she thought as she placed her head back onto Legolas' shoulder.

* * *

Legolas couldn't help himself. He was drawn to this girl in a way he couldn't explain. Her pain actually caused him to be sick. He could see the aura of pain growing brighter around her. He held her tight and kept his pace towards Mirkwood.

* * *

Ariana woke to sunlight pouring in through an open window and she was lying in bed. She sat up and looked around the room. There was a soft blur to everything in the room. She didn't understand. She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand. She felt her contacts move on her eye. 

"Well that's odd." She used one hand to open her eye and the other to remove the contact. Then she closed her other eye and looked around. The blur was gone. She could see perfectly without her contact. Actually, she could almost see better. She could see all the separate leaves on a tree outside her window. She giggled and removed her other contact. 

"Wow," she whispered as she rolled the two now useless contacts into a ball.

A knock on the door startled her and she dropped the ball onto the covers. She looked down at the white blanket and knew it was a lost cause.

"Uh, come in," she said at the door as she pulled the covers up to her chest. She realized all she had on was her skivvies and the necklace that had come with the mystery book. 

A man walked in who had the same long blonde hair as Legolas. She smiled at him and he bowed.

"You don't have to do that," she said as he straightened. Ariana noticed that the man had the same pointed ears Legolas' had. She made a mental note to check up on it.

"As you wish. How do you feel?" he asked as he stepped closer to her.

Ariana looked down at the covers and bent her knee. "I feel fine, great even." She smiled up at him. "It feels like new. Thanks."

"I'm glad to hear that. Does that mean you are ready to meet the King? He asked to see you when you were feeling well again."

"Oh, umm, right now," Ariana asked him. She pulled the covers up a little higher. "I don't think I'm dressed for it," she laughed.

The elf smiled at her, "There's a gown at the foot of the bed for you."

She smiled. "A gown? What happened to my jeans?"

He frowned and looked at her. "The clothes you arrived in are being clean and I highly doubt they would be suitable to meet King Thranduil."

She blushed. "Oh, right. Sorry. This is my first meeting with a king.

He smiled once more and she smiled back. She felt like an idiot, but it was ok. "If there is nothing else you need, I'll leave you to dress."

"Oh, thank you. I don't need anything else."

He turned and left the room. Ariana began to finger the necklace again and looked about the room. It was mostly bare, with no windows, just open space. 

The elf's words came to her and she looked to the foot of the bed. Sure enough, there was a white dress folded neatly on the end of the bed. She slipped out from under the covers and stood in her knickers. She shivered as a cool breeze swept through the room. The shiver crept up her spin and into her head. She could feel a headache beginning in the base of her skull. And no Tylenol.

She smiled as a thought of Legolas entered her mind. Seems fitting, I think of him as I stand here semi-naked.

She lifted the dress and gasped. It was amazingly beautiful. The white fabric felt like silk, it spilt over her fingers and she gazed at it. It the sunlight it shimmered light around the room. She smiled again and stepped into it. I would kill at Prom right now. After she pulled it up and put her arms through the short sleeves, she felt like a princess. Lastly, she slipped her feet into the shoes that were left at the edge of the bed.

Ariana put her hand on her chest over the necklace and felt the cool metal. She remembered how it had begun to heat up as the water in the sink flamed. She wondered if there was a big connection between this new Twilight Zone and her new necklace. 

She looked around for a mirror and couldn't find one, so she ran her fingers through her hair. A few tangles stopped her and she sighed. A brush would be really helpful right now. She continued the manual combing and then finally brushed the rest behind her ears. 

She sighed and looked out the window across from her. A sudden feeling of being lost hit her. Here she sat, in a room in the middle of nowhere, dressed up like a Barbie.

She sat down on the edge of the bed. She thought about Legolas and knew getting back to her apartment wasn't going to be as easy as she hoped. She felt a tear on her cheek. She couldn't help it. She put her head in her hands and cried. What am I going to do?

* * *

Legolas walked down a silent hallway. Ever since he'd left Ariana with the healer, he couldn't stop worrying about her. She had become feverish and pale while he carried her into Mirkwood. The healer did not say a word when Legolas stepped in with Ariana curled up in his arms. He'd only motioned Legolas towards a bed and he began searching for an elixir for the girl. 

That had been two days ago. Ariana had slept the fever off, struggling through her dreams. Once, when Legolas had visited her, she was sweating and tossing in her seep. The aura of pain still surrounded her and something else was there. Legolas did not know what it was, but it worried him.

Now he made his way down the hallway towards the room the healer had placed her in. The servant that had talked to Ariana had told Legolas she was awake.

When he neared the room he heard Ariana's muffled sobs. He frowned and stepped to the door. 

Inside Ariana was trying to get herself under control. Things were not lost; she could still get out of here. 

"It's not the end of the world," she said as she wiped her tears away. Then she took a deep breath and let it out slowly. 

There came a knock at the door and she jerked her head up. 

"Come in," she called as she swept her hands under her eyes, catching the last tears.

She couldn't help but smile when she say the golden head enter through the door. Legolas entered and gave her a smile. He was dressed in whites and light greens. 

As he stepped into the room and closed the door, his eyes traced the lines of her face, down her body. The dress fit perfectly over the curve of her body. Her features baffled him. They were so simple, yet created such a beautiful picture; her lips and eyes drew him in. 

Ariana automatically felt self-conscious of herself when Legolas stepped closer to her. Then again, she'd always felt that way since High School. She'd been overweight for the first three years, then finally pulled herself together the summer before her senior year and lost most of it. Now she had the curves she'd always wanted, but it didn't help. She still felt herself tense a little under his intense gaze.

After a silent moment of staring at each other, Ariana blushed and looked away. 

"How do you feel, arwen en amin?" Legolas asked as he stepped to her. He stopped when she looked back at him. 

Her eyes stopped him; they were a mixture of greens and browns. They reminded him of the forest. He thought she must be part elf to have those eyes. 

"Oh, I feel fine. I mean, I feel better then fine." She smiled. Nice, smooth. "What did you call me?"

"Arwen en amin?" It means 'my lady.' He watched her. There was something he was missing about her. The aura of pain was gone from her, but something still remained. He smiled at her. "My father has been asking to see you. If you are feeling well enough, he would like to speak with you."

She smiled at him; she couldn't help it. "Sure, I'd love to thank him. This guy just came in and told me the King would like to see me, but after that I'm pretty muchly free."

He gave her a puzzled look. "My father is the King, King Thranduil."

Her mouth dropped open. "Your father…" She trailed off and looked at him. If his father is the King…."What would you like to thank him for?" Legolas asked as he opened the door for her and they walked down the hall.

She was still a little dumbfounded by the news she just received. She took a breath and realized that he'd asked her a question. "For letting me stay here." She smiled at him. "Where I come from, that isn't a normal, everyday occurrence."

He frowned at her. "You needed healing. We could not have turned you away."

She laughed. "That's why I have to thank him." She bite her lower lip, a nervous habit of hers, and thought for a moment. "What do I say? I mean, I've never met a king before…" She trailed off. 

He smiled at her and she almost fainted. "Do not worry, arwen en amin. My father only wishes to talk to you."

She gave him a half smile and swallowed. Sure, don't worry. She looked over to him. "Legolas, can I ask you something? Not to mean this the wrong way, but..." She motioned to her own ears. "What are you?" 

He looked at her. "Elves of the Northern Woods."

She looked to the ground. Oh my God, I'm Alice and I've fallen down the rabbit hole into my own imagination. Elves…

****

****Notes****

::groans:: I'm sick of formatting these chapters. ::cracks neck:: I need a caffeine boost. ::walks off to get a soda:: [All disclaimers and warnings can be found at the beginning of chapter 1.]


	4. Nahron's Story

**T****he Traveler: Chapter Four**

Soon they came to two wooden doors that reached to the ceiling. The hall was just as enormous, made from stones that were bigger than her. They reminded her of King Arthur and the Round Table. She half expected Sir Lancelot to come riding around the corner.

Legolas stopped at the doors and turned to her. "My father would like to see you alone, if you do not mind." He saw she was nervous, and smiled at the thought. 

She smiled and shook her head. She was scared of what was going to happen. She kept thinking about the Queen of Hearts from _Alice in Wonderland and how pissed she'd be if someone tried to chop her head off. _

Legolas opened the door and after long breath she walked in. She gave a little jump when the door closed behind her. 

Ariana looked around the room and saw at the far end a large throne; seated in it was King Thranduil. 

"Tula (come) closer, arwen en amin," she heard a soft but powerful voice call to her. She took another breath and walked to the King.

She stopped a few feet from the foot of the throne and gave a small curtsy. She instantly saw the family resemblance of Legolas in his father. His long golden hair was pulled back with small braids laced through it, like the normal Elvish style. He did not look old and he had the wisest eyes Ariana had ever seen. He was dressed in the same light greens and whites as Legolas had been. All of her fears melted away when she saw his eyes. They reminded her of her father's. She realized how much she missed her home when she looked at the King. 

"How do you feel, my child?" His voice had that same soothing effect everything else had on her in Mirkwood. _Maybe I need to go camping more often._

She gave a small smile and replied, "I feel great, better then normal, actually. What happened?"

"Legolas brought you to the Healer of Mirkwood who gave you an elixir that cured you."

She blushed and looked towards the ground. "I have to thank you, for letting me stay here." She looked into his face. "Thank you. I would have been lost if you hadn't helped me."

King Thranduil gave her a gentle smile. "You need not thank us, my people are always willing to help those you need it."

Suddenly he stood up from his throne. He was much taller then Ariana. _Most people are though._

"The story of how you came to be in Mirkwood still confuses me. Perhaps you could tell me the story?" he asked as he walked towards a chamber door to the left. He made a motion for her to follow which she did as she told her story. She began with the book at her door, hoping she wouldn't have to explain much to the King. 

When she described the necklace to the King, he asked her to see it. She slowly removed the it from around her neck. She felt a pain in her chest as she handed it to him. She didn't know where it came from, this longing to have the necklace back around her neck where she could keep an eye on it. The pain went away when King Thranduil handed the necklace back to her.

They stopped outside on a long porch. A long table with chairs on all sides sat out in the morning sun. King Thranduil took a seat and Ariana sat across from him, finishing her tale.

For a long time he said nothing, to Ariana he seemed to be in deep thought, so she said nothing. 

She looked around the garden. The trees and flower were even more beautiful in the morning sun. The colors almost took her breath away. She couldn't even imagine some of the hues that surrounded her. 

King Thranduil studied the young girl in front of him. He watched her eyes as she traced the line of the trees. Her story worried him, for nothing this strange had happened since the War of the Ring and the ending of Sauron's power. 

Ariana finally turned away from the forest to find King Thranduil looking at her. She returned his gaze. 

Just as he opened his mouth to speak, a knock at the door startled them both. They turned to find one of his servants at the door. The elf first looked to Ariana, then turned to his King and spoke in Elvish. She saw a look of surprise come across the King's face, and then he looked to her. A nervous feeling settled in her stomach. _This can't be good. _

* * *

Ariana sat staring at the elf that had just arrived. She didn't know what he'd said, but the look King Thranduil was giving her said enough. _My God, they ARE going to cut my head of._

She watched as the King told the elf something else in Elvish, then the servant turned and left them alone again. _That's right, get that ax ready. Nice and sharp to chop off my lovely head. She calmed down a little when the King turned and gave her a sad smile. _

"I'm very sorry, my child, but some concerning news has just come to my attention." He stood up and walked to the back of his chair where he placed his hands on the top of the chair. 

"It seems the great wizard Gandalf the White has just arrived in Mirkwood, seeking a traveler who might have recently arrived in my woods." He raised an eyebrow at her and asked, "You have come from quite a distance, have you not?"

She was quickly becoming tongue-tied so she just nodded her head to his questions. _Sure, we have elves already, why not throw in a few wizards. Got any dragons? She looked at his face and saw no malice towards her. __At least I get to keep me head._

A small knock came at the door again but this time the King was expecting it. He looked her in the eye. "He has asked to speak to you. My advice, my child, is to tell him everything that is troubling your heart. He may be able to help you more then I." He smiled once more at her, then left her alone.

Ariana slouched down in her chair and rubbed the temple of her forehead. Her headache wasn't any better. It had slowly grown worse as the morning wore on. She would have given anything for some Tylenol.

She closed her eyes and sat silently for a few minutes. Then an old voice asked, "How do you feel this morning, my child?" Ariana jerked her head up and studied the figure before her.

The old man's grey beard almost reached the ground, it streamed down the front of his robe. He wore a pointed, blue hat. He leaned heavily on the wooden staff, though Ariana doubted he truly needed it.

She looked to his face and saw no malice. The lines on his face and around his eyes showed wisdom, not age. Ariana automatically felt safe with this Gandalf.

She sat back in her chair and gave him a half smile and told him she was feeling fine. Then she remembered the King's words about telling the truth to Gandalf. "I do have a slight headache though."

He let out a thoughtful "hmph" and pulled out his pipe. "Let us take a small walk, shall we?" he said as he turned to a small path that lead away from the porch.

She pushed her chair back from the table and stood up. She winced as the pain in her head shot up. She tried to ignore it and followed Gandalf down the path into the woods that surrounded them. 

She smelled the sweet scent of grass and leaves. They walked into a beautiful land of greens and mosses. 

Ariana didn't know what Gandalf the Grey knew of her arrival so she kept quiet. Besides, she was enjoying the view.

Though, as they walked, Gandalf was studying the girl walking besides him. He felt the same strange aura that Legolas had sensed when he'd first met Ariana in the forest. A red glow surrounded the girl, from head to toe. Something already had a hold on her, something evil. It worried Gandalf, for he hadn't seen any evil this strong since the Ring was destroyed.

Ariana was becoming impatient. They had walked far into the woods and not a word had been spoken. "Did, um, King Thranduil tell you everything?" Ariana finally asked him. 

"Hmm, yes. He spoke of a mirror and a face." He looked her in the eyes. "This face you saw, what did it look like?"

She bit her lip and thought for a second, trying to think of the right words. "She had long blonde hair. It fell down past her shoulder. She was wearing a white dress and had a small crown on the top of her head. It weaved together on her forehead."

Ariana stopped for a moment and gently touched her forehead. Her headache wasn't any better. She felt like someone was hitting her with a hammer. 

She swallowed and continued with her description. "She just appeared all of a sudden. She said something in an odd language. Please don't ask me to repeat it. I doubt I could." She paused again. She didn't know what else the old wizard wanted to hear.

Gandalf chewed on the end of his pipe as he listened to Ariana's story. The description the girl gave sounded like The Lady of Lothlóien.

"The only thing else was her eyes." Ariana looked to Gandalf. "They were full of fire. I mean, they were full of hatred. She just kept staring at me with those evil green eyes."

At that, Gandalf turned to her. "Green eyes? Are you certain that they were green?"

Ariana closed her eyes and pictured the woman's face. "Yes, they were green." Her eyes popped open. "I'm sure."

Gandalf began walking again and thinking to himself. Ariana let out a sigh and followed along beside him.

Eventually she became bored and began to finger the necklace. She did it without even realizing it.

After a few minutes Ariana realized Gandalf was watching her. He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Oh, yes, the necklace." She pulled it up over her head. She went to hand it to him, but winced when a sharp jolt of pain hit her head. She placed it in his hand. 

He held it close to his face and studied the pendent as Ariana told him how it came to her. When she mentioned Bilbo Baggins, a small smile came across the wizard's face. 

Gandalf turned the charm over and looked at the marble set in the middle of the necklace. It was now a cold black, showing no life or color.

He looked at Ariana and handed the necklace back to her. As soon as she had it back in her hands, her headache faded to a dull throb. She realized that the same thing had happened when the King had handed the necklace back to her earlier.

The two had come to a small clearing in the woods. Gandalf found a few rocks grouped together under the shade of a tree. He sat down on one of the rocks and gently placed his staff to the side. 

Ariana stood in front of him, and then plopped down onto the cool grass. Though she was thoughtful of the dress from the Elves, she'd rather sit on the ground then a rock. She could see Gandalf clearly from the ground.

The wizard removed his hat and placed it on the rock with his staff. He pulled out his pipe and lit it, and then he took a long drag from his pipe and let it out slowly. Ariana sat silently on the ground, waiting for something to happen. She wasn't the most patient person in the world. She would have said something, but Gandalf began to speak. "There was once a great wizard named Nahron, many years ago. He had the respect of the Kings of Men, Elf and Dwarf. His talents were known across Middle Earth as the most powerful.

"He was neither good nor evil, he served no one in Middle Earth; he merely existed, but one day Nahron was summoned by Sauron, the Dark Lord. Sauron needed the one thing that would allow him the power to rule over all of Middle Earth. 

"Nahron foresaw that the descendent of the sorceress Glendale would come at the end of the Third Age and would hold all the power Sauron would ever need. Nahron told Sauron that this traveler would be more powerful then the Sun and Moon. 

"But Sauron was greedy, he would not wait for this traveler. He first created great rings from the three Elves, seven Dwarfs and the nine Men. Then, he had another ring forged to control all others. Into this One Ring he poured all his hatred and cruelty. It was with this ring the Dark Lord indented to rule all of Middle Earth."

Gandalf stopped for a minute and sighed. Ariana watched him puff on his pipe for awhile. A sinking feeling was starting to settle in her stomach. As she sat and listened to the tale of the Fellowship of the Ring and the destruction of the One Ring, she could barely believe her own ears. The story was so incredible. Elves, Dwarves and Man all working together to overthrow a Dark Lord, it was an amazing fantasy. A few times during Gandalf's tale, she caught herself thinking it wasn't real. 

When she heard Legolas' name at the Council of Elrond, she smiled. She thought it was odd how his name made her smile. 

"So then Sauron's power was destroyed. Frodo and Sam were successful in their quest. Middle Earth was safe," Gandalf looked at her. "Until now." She swallowed and listen to the rest of the wizard's story.

"You are the traveler that Nahron spoke of long ago. You hold the power Sauron seeks. You are the descendent of Glendale. I see her in you, for I knew Glendale well." Gandalf stopped and looked at the girl. Her hands laid limp in her lap and she had her eyes closed. She was taking deep breaths, trying to keep herself calm. What the old wizard had just told her was something out of one of her stories. She could have written this. Wizards, Elves, Dark Lords, ancient evils, it was an imagined world. She wasn't sitting her. She wasn't hearing this. 

She took a deep breath and swallowed, then opened her eyes. She looked up at Gandalf. His old grey eyes where watching her every move. She didn't know what to say. _What do you say to something like this? She looked around the ground, almost with a sense of being lost. She felt so alone, even with Gandalf sitting here with her. _

"I'm Glendale's descendent? How is that possible?" Ariana asked him. "I mean, that would mean… " She trailed off. "Are you saying I've gone back in time, to Middle Earth? That what I know is.. Middle Earth?"

Gandalf watched her for a few silent moments. "The Elves all moved into the west, the dwarves burrowed deep into the earth and the rest just disappeared. Man swarmed across Middle Earth. The land was claimed only for man and anything else was pushed off."

"And they dropped the 'Middle' and just had 'Earth?'" 

"Yes. Without the Elves to show Man how to care for the land, certain things were lost." Gandalf let out a long sigh. "Many things were lost."

Ariana sat in silence, taking in everything. She wasn't sure what to think. "I think, I think I need to be alone awhile," she said as she looked up to Gandalf. He nodded his head in agreement and stood up to leave. He picked up his hat and placed it soundly on the top of his head. Then he picked up his staff and turned to leave. He looked back at Ariana, who hadn't moved an inch. He opened his mouth, as to say something, but then stopped. He knew anything he could say would be lost on the girl at the moment. She wasn't listening to a thing that was happening around her.

Gandalf gave a small grunt and left Ariana alone in the small glen.

* * *

After a few moments, Ariana lifted her head and looked around. The trees were gently swaying in the wind. The sun was warming her skin as she sat there. Eventually, she stood up and continued down the trail she and Gandalf had been walking along.

******Notes**********

::taps fingertips together:: _Excellent_. [All disclaimers and warnings can be found at the beginning of chapter 1.]


	5. An Old Evil of Middle Earth

**The Traveler: Chapter Five**

Sometime passed before Ariana realized where she was. Her mind had slowly crept away to that place where she normally got her story ideas. In the back of her mind she knew she was actually in some state of shock. 

She stopped in the middle of the path and looked around. She realized she was now lost, but she didn't really care. Her headache had picked up again and she was in a foul mood. Her mind hadn't even begun to process Gandalf's history of Middle Earth. 

She closed her eyes and listened to her own breathing. As she listened, she heard the faint sound of water, maybe a small stream. It seemed to be at her right. She shrugged her shoulders and thought to herself _What the hell? and turned to the right. _

After a few minutes of walking through the dense woods, Ariana came to the stream. It was pretty big, she definitely couldn't jump across it, that was for sure. She stood silent for a few minutes, trying to decide what to do next. Then she began to follow the current of the stream. It knew where it was going, that was enough for her. 

As she followed along the bank she finally tried to work through the tale Gandalf had told her. She was still confused about how Middle Earth became Earth, but she also figured that was the least of her problems.

She quietly began to finger the pendent as she thought about Nahron and Sauron. She wondered who Glendale was, how powerful a sorceress she'd been. 

Just then, Ariana's little stream met up with a very big lake. The surface of the water sparkled in the sunlight. Ariana crouched down by the water's edge and dipped her hand in.

After standing on the back she finally decided the water was just too tempting. She looked around and saw no one, but that didn't mean a sneaky Elf or two weren't hiding somewhere close.

She stepped back to the edge of the woods and slipped out of the dress. She carefully folded it and set it down on the limb of the closest tree and slipped off her shoes, then she walked back to the edge of the water in just her knickers. She waded out as far as she could, until the water was up to her waist, then she dove in.

The water was a little colder then she'd first thought and she wrapped her arms around herself and kicked her feet slowly, treading the water. Eventually the chill went away, or she was just too numb to feel anymore, and she began to lazily swim back and forth. She pulled herself through the water, kicking her feet and swam out to the middle of the lake.

When Ariana's arms began to ache, she rolled onto her back, put her arms behind her head and floated in her own little world.

* * *

As Ariana thought about Gandalf's tale, three Orcs slowly made their way towards the lake. They'd been searching through the woods of Mirkwood when they heard splashing. 

The trio crept up to the edge of the water, fearful of the famed archers of Mirkwood and found a white gown folded on a tree limb. They looked about the lake and saw a head bobbing in the middle of the water.

Their order from Mordor was to find a traveler in the land of Mirkwood. This woman could not be the traveler, but she may might know something about the traveler. 

They slunk back into the woods with Ariana's Elven dress to wait. They would wait for the girl to come to them.

* * *

Ariana took a deep breath and slipped under the water. She'd finally decided she needed to talk with this Gandalf character again. She had too many questions that needed answering.

As Ariana neared the edge of the water she slowed her pace. She felt something was off. She realized no birds were singing. _Something is very wrong here. _

She looked over the bank of the water and saw nothing amiss. She furrowed her brow and studied the woods. She was too far out to see anything if there was truly something out there. 

She guessed something had scared the birds and continued swimming to the spot she thought she'd left her dress. She figured she'd sit out in the sun for a few minutes and let her underwear dry out as much as she could before she put on her dress. The last thing she wanted to do was ruin that dress. It was probably, sadly, the nicest thing she'd ever owned.

She crawled up onto the bank and sat on the grass, looking out over the water. The waves gentled lapped over themselves, almost creating their own dance. She smiled and leaned back on her hands. 

Middle Earth was definitely one of the most beautiful places Ariana'd ever been. No matter what it was, a flower, a tree, a blade of grass, it was all so beautiful. She wondered how any kind of evil could survive. 

Just as that last thought crossed her mind, one of the hiding Orcs grabbed her around the chest and heaved her into the air. His grip almost crushed her lungs, she could barely breath, let alone scream. 

She didn't know how'd she'd missed that smell. It was everywhere. It snaked into her mouth and caused her to gag. She looked up and found there were certain things in Middle Earth that weren't so beautiful. Two creatures were standing in front of her with evil grins. One was holding her torn dress. His grubby hands had smeared the beautiful Elven material with grit and mud. 

She struggled against the two powerful arms that held her, but she couldn't break free, never in a million years. _This thing is too strong._

She didn't have to worry long, just as she gave up, the Orc opened his arms and she dropped to the ground like a bag of potatoes. She hadn't been expecting it and she landed on her side. Lucky she had enough sense to cover her head before she hit the ground. She didn't even want to think about what would happen if she was unconscious with these things around her. 

Ariana glared at the Orcs. She had no idea who or what they were, but she knew they were trouble.

They had cuts and rings all over their bodies. Dressed all in black, dirty clothes, they looked even more evil with their eyes gleaming out of the shadows of the trees they stood under. She could feel their yellow eyes trail over her body. She felt dirty under their scrutiny.

She drew her knees up to her chest in an attempt to cover herself. She heard one of the creatures laugh at her.

The biggest Orc looked at her for a few silent moments then turned to the Orc next to him, "Bind her hands and feet. We'll keep her for tonight." His voice was low and harsh, like someone who'd smoked for their whole life. It sent a shiver down her spin. 

She drew back as the Orc stepped towards her. She saw his eyes lock on her chest. She drew her arms around her closer, but she didn't know he was actually looking at the necklace around her neck. The stone was a red, burning bright against Ariana's skin. 

As the Orc pulled out a long piece of rope Ariana knew she had to run, but her legs didn't seem to understand. She was frozen with fear, waiting for this creature to tie her up for only God knows what later. He towered over Ariana and her heart raced with fear.

Her mind whirled with possible escape routes, but nothing was coming to her. Then she thought about what she'd do if it was just a guy and not some monster coming at her. When the Orc tried to grab Ariana's leg, she did the first thing that came to her mind. She rolled onto her back and shot her leg out right into the Orc's groin. 

She didn't even stay to watch, she jumped up and sprinted down the bank of the lake. She pumped her legs as fast as she could. Ariana was afraid to turn around and see the three following her, but she couldn't help it. She took a quick glance over her shoulder and stopped in her tracks. There was nothing behind her.

She bent over and placed her hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath. Her pulse was pounding in her head. After a shaky minute, she trotted back to the spot the Orcs had been.

She came up to the three bodies laying on the ground. Each had a long, thing arrow through the chest. The one who'd tried to tie her up looked as though he'd been shot while running towards her. The other two had their swords drawn. 

She covered her mouth and backed away. The smell of death surrounded her. It was worse then the Orcs foul odor. She took several deep breaths and tried to calm herself. She'd taken only a few steps back when a strong hand fell on her shoulder.

Ariana let out a scream heaved her elbow back into the stomach of whoever was behind her. She heard a painful grunt and jumped away. When she turned around she was surprised to see Legolas doubled up, a hand on his knee. 

"Oh, Legolas. I'm so sorry. I thought…" Ariana trailed off. She stepped to his side and put a hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright?"

He lifted his golden head and gave her a small smile. Ariana laughed when she saw his face. She covered her grin when he straightened himself.

"I'm really, truly sorry," Ariana said through a laugh. After the Orcs and Legolas' scare, it felt good to laugh. Her heart had stopped it's crazy pumping and her knees weren't shaky. 

Legolas took a deep breath and picked his bow up off the ground where he'd dropped it when Ariana had elbowed him. Ariana's eyes widen when she saw the bow. She put the two together and realized Legolas had killed the monsters. "Y-you, you killed them?" she said as she motioned to the three dead bodies. 

Legolas lifted his gaze to the three Orcs on the ground. Ariana saw a look of disgust come across his face when he looked at them. The look vanished when he looked back to her and she was relieved. "Yes, I killed them. I came looking for you and heard them moving through the forest. When I found them, they already had you. I watched you escape and they began to chase you. They would have caught you easily." 

"What are they?" Ariana asked as she looked at them again. 

"They are Orcs from Mordor, Lady Ariana."

"Orcs from Mordor," Ariana repeated after him. "They do seem out of place here in Mirkwood." She shivered and realized for the first time that she was still standing in her underwear. She blushed a deep crimson, turned away from Legolas and crossed her arms across her chest, trying to cover herself. 

The next thing she felt was Legolas as he laid his cloak across her shoulders. She turned and smiled at him. "Thanks. Those things destroyed my dress." She pulled the front of the cloak closed around her. Ariana looked around the lake, doing anything to ignore the Orcs on the ground. She remember that she needed to speak with Gandalf again. 

Legolas watched Ariana and thought about what he'd seen as he'd draw closer to the lake. He had come upon the three Orcs standing over Ariana. When he'd heard the lead Orc tell the other to tie Ariana's hands and feet, Legolas had pulled out his bow, ready to slay the Orc. He stopped himself when he saw Ariana kick the beast and disappear down the bank. The scene had sent a jolt straight to his heart. Before the Orcs could start after her, he'd killed all three. The rage he'd felt when he'd come upon the Orc had swelled up in his heart.

Now that Ariana was safe Legolas' heart was at ease. His gaze followed her as she walked away from the bodies of the Orcs. Her face was grave, she was troubled by something, Legolas could tell that much.

He stepped to her side and asked, "What is it, Ariana? Something is troubling you, I can see it."

Ariana lifted her head and looked to him. She saw nothing in those beautiful blue eyes but his concern. She pulled the cloak a little tighter. "Something I just found out about myself." Her gaze drifted back to the lake. "I need to see Gandalf," she whispered to herself, but Legolas' keen Elf ears heard her. 

"You've spoken with Gandalf the White?" Legolas asked her.

Ariana jerked her head up and looked at him. She nodded her head. "I need to speak with him again. I have some questions that need answering." 

Ariana let out a sigh and looked at the woods, then she smiled at Legolas. "I hope you know how to get back." 

"An Elf always knows his way through any woods," he said with a smile. Ariana laughed at him. 

As soon as Ariana grabbed her shoes that the Orcs hadn't noticed with the dress, the two started through the woods. After twenty minutes of walking and talking, they came to the clearing that she and Gandalf had talked in.

At first, she hadn't known what to talk to Legolas about. She was a girl from the 21st century and he was an Elf from Middle Earth, but eventually she asked him about Gandalf and the story he'd told her, minus the part about Nahron and Glendale. He understood that she was holding something back but didn't ask about it. 

She learned about the other members of the Fellowship; the four Hobbits, Frodo, Sam, Pippin and Merry; one Dwarf, Gimli who Legolas had become very good friends with; and the two men, Aragorn, now King of Gondor and Boromir who was slain by Orcs trying to protect Merry and Pippin. Legolas also told her about Gandalf's fall in Moria, a part of the story Gandalf had left out when they first talked. 

Legolas soon found that Ariana was not like any Elf he'd ever met. As she talked, he watched her face changed from one emotion to the next. To him, it was almost as though Ariana's expressions were a part of her stories. Her mouth would widen and open slightly as she gave him a small smile, asking about the Hobbits. She would fall silent and her brow would crease slightly as he told her of the Ents in Fangorn Forest, and he knew she was trying to picture the giant herdsmen of the trees.

He found something beautiful about Ariana that had nothing to do with her outward appearance. Though she was new to Middle Earth, she already had a hold on her situation. She was strong when needed, but could easily break when the pressure grew to unbearable amounts. Her shoulders would shiver quietly as tears formed in her eyes; they would twinkle as she smirked; her lips formed a pout when he teased her. Her gentle movements gave Legolas a sense of ease and joy he'd never found before in Middle Earth.

Eventually, Legolas lead her back to her room. He told her he would find Gandalf for her. She thanked him and closed the door. Legolas turned to leave when she opened it again and handed him back his cloak with a grin. Then she closed her door for the last time. He kept his smile to himself and walked away.

******Notes**********

I had to add a few parts, so this chapter did change a little bit, right at the end anyways. I should start a little game where you guys pick out all the little changes I've made. Only problem with that is I don't even remember all the things I added. [All disclaimers and warnings can be found at the beginning of chapter 1.]


	6. An End for a Beginning

**The Traveler: Chapter Six**

Ariana leaned against the door and let out a sigh. She laughed at herself. She felt like a fool. The whole time she'd listened to Legolas she couldn't stop staring at his face or letting her eyes trail down his body. 

She shook her head and walked to the bed, wrapping her arms around herself. Lying on the foot of the bed, just like her dress was her jeans, tank top with her socks and a small bundle on top. On the floor were her tennis shoes. 

First, she opened the small bundle. Inside it was all the things that had been in her jeans' pockets. A few dollars, some lip gloss and her white comb she always kept in her back pocket. She quickly brushed her hair, then used one of the rubber bands around the handle to put it up into a small ponytail. 

She pulled on her jeans and slipped the tank top over her head. She felt almost human again. Lastly, she pulled her on socks and shoes. She arched her back and stretched her muscles. She figured she could explore a little before Legolas found Gandalf, so she left her room and began to wonder the halls.

As she walked up and down the hallways she thought about what she needed to ask Gandalf. First and for most, she needed to find out what kind of power this Sauron was looking for. This whole taking-over-the-world plot had been used so often, it hardly fazed her. She didn't understand what her role was in all this.

She also had to ask him about the Middle Earth to Earth connection. She was still a little puzzled over all that. If Middle Earth "evolved" into Earth, what kind of role did God play in all this then? Ariana bit her lower lip and thought about the creation of Earth. God had taken seven days to create his version of an utopia for man, was that Middle Earth? Was there an entire chapter to the life of man that had been erased from the record books? 

She'd never been to religious. She'd actually only been to church once through her whole life. Once, when she stayed with an Uncle and Aunt, they'd taken her one Sunday morning. If she remember right, she'd hated it. The whole time she had to sit inside while a beautiful morning was wasting away. All she had wanted to do was pull off her dress, grab some overalls and find a good game of tag to play. Instead, she sat inside with a group of kids listening to stories of Adam and Eve. 

Ariana turned a corner and came upon a small room with an opening to a beautiful garden. There was a small bench placed between to large trees. She sat down on it and swung her legs up on the bench, resting her back against the arm. She leaned her head back and drank up the sunshine. 

It would have been a beautiful moment if she hadn't gotten a jolt of pain shooting through her skull. She'd completely forgotten about her headache the whole time she'd been away, but it was back with a vengeance. She drew her knees up and wrapped her arms around them, her chin resting on top of her knees. She closed her eyes and waited for the pain to dull down a little. 

As she sat silently, she heard someone approach. She opened her eyes to three someones. Legolas had found Gandalf the White and had brought him along with King Thranduil to her small sanctuary. She swung her legs off the bench and stood up as they approached. 

Gandalf eyed her attire and Ariana felt a little foolish in an outfit she normally felt comfortable in. She was just happy to be out of the gown; it had made her feel like a doll.

King Thranduil gave her a warm smile when he saw her. "Hello, my child. How do you feel? My son told me of the Orcs' attack."

She smiled back at him and replied that with Legolas' help she was feeling much better. This seemed to please the King, who nodded his head.

Legolas stood studying Ariana. She looked much more at ease in the garden. Her face was full of color and her eyes stood out more so then ever before. His mind continued to be drawn back to the lake when he'd first seen her standing defenseless with barely anything on. When he'd first seen her he'd wanted nothing more then to hold and comfort her. Legolas knew that if she had stepped into his embrace he would never have let her go. 

Ariana looked to Gandalf and noticed his gaze was directed to the necklace again. She didn't know what it was about the thing, but she realized everything had started when it first arrived at her door. 

King Thranduil turned to his son and asked to see him in private. Ariana felt a little hurt but shrugged it off, knowing she had no business sticking by Legolas. 

The King gave her a final smile and told Gandalf he would "send the quickest messenger to Gondor." Ariana had no idea who or what Gondor was, but she figured whatever King Thranduil and Gandalf had been discussing revolved around her. She was causing all sorts of problems since she'd arrived. _More then they know, she thought as she put her hand in her pocket and let the other dangle at her side. _

Legolas turned to her and picked up her hand and placed a small kiss on the top. He looked up and smiled at her. He told her he would see her once his father was done, but Ariana was tongue-tied. She just smiled back and watched him leave. 

She leaned back and her heels and thought about Legolas' lips on her hand. They were the softest velvet. She wondered what they would feel like on her lips. 

Ariana finally realized that Gandalf was waiting for her to snap out of it. She looked over to him again. "We need to finish what we started. I'm ready to listen," she told him. 

The old wizard nodded his head and went to the bench she'd been sitting on when the three had arrived. Ariana looked up to the sky and saw the day was going to be beautiful. After a second of standing in the sun she joined him on the bench. 

Gandalf pulled out the same pipe he'd smoked earlier and lit the end. A small stream of smoke slowly rose from the end of the pipe. Ariana watched and waited. This time she was going to listen to everything the wizard said. She didn't want to risk missing anything.

"The pains in your heart, in your head are signs that the power is beginning to grow more powerful everyday. I would have said this morning that it would take Sauron time to find you, but after the Orc attack, that isn't true. He must have learned more from Nahron then I knew off." Gandalf sat silent for a few moments. 

Ariana watched the shadows creep across the garden. She had a few questions from Gandalf and she didn't know if it was the time to ask them, but she might as well try. "Why the necklace?" she asked as she watch him out of the corner of her eye.

Gandalf let out a sigh and took a long puff of the pipe. "The necklace is like Frodo's Ring in some ways. It is a measure of your power. It glows red when something threatens your life, or it lays black, doormat when you are silent. It may have other powers, created by Sauron for the wearer, but I do now know of them yet. We'll wait and see, aye?" He rubbed his chin and looked at the necklace silently, then sat back and smoked his pipe. 

Ariana fingered the necklace and sat back on the bench, resting her back. "Gandalf, when you said that Earth is Middle Earth…" She trailed off, trying to think of how to phrase her question. "What about God? I mean, if Earth is Middle Earth, who created Middle Earth?"

Gandalf sat stoned faced, looking off into the distance. "Gandalf?" Ariana asked.

"Earth may be Middle Earth, but they are two different times," was Gandalf's answer.

Ariana sat confused. She didn't understand his answer. He knew it wasn't the answer she was looking for. She cursed herself for not going to church so she knew what else to ask about. She sat silently, mulling his answer over. She wondered if he meant God helped change Middle Earth to Earth. She figured that was the answer, and left it at that. She didn't need anything else confusing her. 

Ariana rubbed her forehead, feeling her headache again. "Gandalf, what's going to happen? What am I supposed to do?"

Gandalf smiled at the girl. She was lost and looking for direction. Sadly, Gandalf did not have all the answers that she was seeking. "We are going to Rivendall, to the House of Elrond."

Ariana looked over at him. "Rivendall?" 

"Yes. King Thranduil is calling for a Council of Elrond to discuss the matter. This concern all creature of Middle Earth. You, Legolas and I shall travel to Rivendall to meet with Elrond and the remaining members of the Fellowship. This concern this more then any other, considering they were the first to save Middle Earth." He looked her in the eye. "It may be that one of them can save it again."

Ariana felt horrible. Middle Earth had seen so many troubles, and here she was, bringing something that could destroy everyone in Middle Earth. 

"Is there anything else that can stop it Gandalf? Is there something I can do to end this now?" she asked him quietly. She felt tired all of a sudden. 

Gandalf closed his eyes and sat silent. "There is one thing." He opened his eyes and looked at her. "To end the evil, your life too must end."

Ariana's eyes opened wide. "You mean I would have to… die to end this?"

He just continued to look at her. She closed her eyes and slouched down in her seat. Her head was throbbing. She had nothing else to ask. Gandalf's words were the last things she wanted to hear. 

"If, if that's the only thing that can stop it, why have the Council. What can anyone do about it?" 

"That is what the Council must decide. We will leave for Rivendall in a few days. Take the time to rest, the travel is four days of riding."

Ariana nodded her head and sat staring at the ground. She stood up after a moment of silence. She was getting antsy. She began to pace back and forth in front of Gandalf. She stopped when something occurred to her. She turned and looked to Gandalf, who'd been watching her the whole time. "This 'power' that's growing in my Gandalf, is it evil? I mean, can it only be used for something evil?"

Gandalf blew out a stream of smoke and set his hand down on his knee. "The power that is growing inside you this very moment was created for Sauron. If you are in his possession when it is fully grown, he will use it to take control of Middle Earth."

"And if I'm not with him?"

Gandalf chewed on the tip of his pipe. "The power will continue to grow until he controls you."

"So there's nothing I can do, besides…" She trailed off. She didn't want to think about it. Gandalf sat silent smoking his pipe. She didn't know what else to say, she had nothing else to say. 

"I think that is enough for now." Gandalf stood up. He had put his pipe away inside his robe and picked up his staff. 

Ariana watched him from where she stood. She was silent, thinking about what Gandalf had just told her. She was having a flashback to the morning. She couldn't believe all the things she had learned today. 

Gandalf looked at her as he passed. He knew she was overwhelmed by everything he'd revealed to her today. She needed time to decide what to do. He placed a hand on her shoulder and looked into her eyes. "Rest tonight, my child." Then he left her again.

******Notes**********

"I am driving 85 in the kind of weather that lasts all afternoon…" Gotta love John Mayer. Yep, I don't really have anything to say about this chapter, just like the past five. ::shrugs:: Though it all does make you wonder, if Earth IS Middle Earth, and Tolkien fashioned it all after Europe, wouldn't the good ole U.S. of A. be considered the west? ::looks around:: Where are all those elves? [All disclaimers and warnings can be found at the beginning of chapter 1.]


	7. It's That Lovin' Feeling

****

The Traveler: Chapter Seven 

Ariana stood in the same spot, watching the sun slowly setting off in the distance. She realized the whole day had passed her by without her even knowing it. A rumble went through her stomach and she realized she hadn't eaten all day. 

She turned and walked down the path and through the door she'd used earlier. She had no idea what she was looking for but she figured she'd wonder about until she found something. 

She ran into Legolas a few minutes later. He was sitting on the ledge of a window, watching the sun setting. She smiled when she found him. He didn't notice her, which she thought was weird. She thought Elves were supposed to have these great senses. She was standing right behind him before he noticed. He finally turned around and looked at her. 

She was concerned when she saw his eyes. They showed a bit of sadness and worry; she saw it as soon as he turned to her. She stood still, looking into his eyes. 

Legolas had been thinking about what his father had told him after they left Ariana and Gandalf. He, Gandalf and Ariana were to travel to Rivendell in a few days. When Legolas had asked his father why, he hadn't answered him. He knew it had something to do with Ariana. 

When he turned and saw it was Ariana behind her, he didn't know what to say. He was conflicted. She filled him with happiness whenever she was near, but now she was causing secrets in Mirkwood. She looked confused and almost hurt when he didn't greet her. He decided she knew nothing of his father's silence. He finally gave her a smile and stood up. He gently lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it softly. 

He asked how she was feeling and she told him that she hadn't eaten all day. He told her to wait for him and he left the room. She turned to the window he'd been sitting at and looked out at the sun set. 

The orange in the sky cascaded over the land. It was beautiful, everything seem to be multiplied here. Everything that was beautiful back home was ten times as beautiful here. Everything that was evil was ten times as evil here, she thought as she remembered the Orcs by the lake. Then she thought of what Gandalf had told her. She let out a sigh and leaned on her elbows on the windowsill. 

Suddenly, a song she hadn't heard in years popped into her head. She had no idea what brought it on, she couldn't think of anything that would have a connection to Mirkwood. She shrugged her shoulder to herself and began to hum the song. 

Ariana's mind began to wonder after a few minutes. It wondered back to Gandalf. She knew the old wizard was trying to help her as much as he could. Though, Ariana was even more confused now then before. She didn't know what to do. She thought about the choice Gandalf had presented and quickly forgot it. Killing herself seemed like a choice to be left at the bottom of the barrel for now. She'd think about it later if this 'Council of Elrond' didn't pan out.

She was startled when Legolas' arm appeared with a big red apple in hand. She stopped her humming in mid-note and smiled at him. "My hero," she said as she took the apple from him. 

Ariana lifted the apple to her lips and took a bite. She had to hold in a groan; it was the best tasting apple she'd ever had. She didn't know if it was because she hadn't eaten all day or if there was something about Elvish apples. 

As she took another bite from the apple as Legolas pulled himself back up onto the ledge of the window. He perched on the edge, watching her. The pose reminded her of a bird; sitting and watching, nothing else. Ariana leaned against the window's edge, to Legolas' right. She'd already eaten half the apple, and was about to take another bite when Legolas asked, "What song were you singing?"

She stopped and looked over to him. "Oh, nothing really. It's just an old song I used to sing when I was little. I don't even remember the title anymore." She bit the inside of her mouth. "Something about a lighthouse I think."

"Would you sing it for me?" 

Ariana laughed. "You don't want me to sing. I have a horrible voice."

"Your voice is beautiful," he replied.

Ariana blushed and looked down at the ground. She thought for a few seconds, then began to quietly sing. 

__

I am a Lighthouse, worn by the weather and the waves.

I keep my lamp lit, to warn the sailors on their way.

I'll tell you a story, paint you a picture from my past.

I was so happy, but joy in this life seldom lasts.

I had a keeper, he helped me warn the ships at sea.

We had grown closer, 'til his joy meant everything to me.

And he was to marry a girl who shown with beauty and light.

And they loved each other, and with me watched the sunsets into nights.

And the waves crashing around me,

The sand slips out to sea,

And the winds that blow remind me of what has been,

And what can never be.

She'd had to leave us;

My keeper, he prayed for a safe return,

But when the night came,

The weather to raging storm had turned.

He watched her ship fight,

But in vain against the wild and terrible win,

And me so helpless, as dashed against the rocks she met her end.

Then on the next day,

My keeper found her washed up on the shore.

He kissed her cold face,

And that they'd be together soon he swore.

I saw him crying,

Watched as he buried her in the sand,

Then he climbed my tower, and off the edge of me he ran.

I am a lighthouse,

Worn by the weather and the waves,

And though I'm empty,

I still warn the sailors on their way.

(The Lighthouse's Tale by Nickel Creek)

Ariana blushed when she finished and turned away from Legolas to the now dark sky. Singing wasn't her greatest talent; the reason why she took art instead of a music class in High School, but when she started singing she remembered why she still knew all the words to it. She'd always loved the idea of tragic love. Her favorite Shakespearean play had been Romeo & Juliet. 

But now, it wasn't the love story that was giving her shivers. The thought of the heartbroken man killing himself for the person he loved touched her deeper then anything ever had. She felt a shiver run up her spine and she wrapped her arms around herself. 

Legolas had sat there, watching her the whole time. When he saw her shiver, he slipped off the edge of the window and placed his hands on her shoulders. Her song was beautiful. It reminded him of many songs he'd heard in Middle Earth, but coming from Ariana it meant so much more. 

He decided that the feelings he felt for this woman were in him for a reason and he wasn't going to hold them back anymore. He needed her to be with him. He did not know what her purpose in Middle Earth was yet, but he knew she already meant so much to him. 

Legolas turned Ariana around to face him. Her eyes were filled with tears. She looked into his face. Everytime she saw those blue eyes, she felt her knees shake. Lucky for her Legolas hadn't let go of her shoulders yet. 

"What is it?" Legolas asked her. He brushed her bangs out of her eyes and behind her ear. His hand lingered on the side of her neck, and she found it hard to answer his question, the butterflies were going crazy in her stomach.

"I – I don't know if I can tell you," Ariana stammered. She wanted to tell him desperately. She looked down from his face. She felt horrible, her head was throbbing again. She lightly touched her temple. Her arms brushed against his and she dropped her arm to her side. She looked back to his eyes. 

He hadn't moved. His gaze was still fixed on hers. "I'm in trouble," she whispered to him. After that, she couldn't hold in her story. She told him everything; she told him about Nahron and Sauron and the necklace. He never moved throughout her whole story. He kept his hands on her shoulders and watched Ariana. Her tears eventually dried up and she calmed down by the time she came to the end of her story. 

She hung her head at the end and backed out of his arms. She leaned against the wall behind her and took a deep breath. She half expected him to spit at her. Here she was, the apocalypse for Middle Earth; she didn't deserve his love, she didn't even deserve his friendship. 

She felt Legolas' hand on her chin and he lifted her head until her gaze met his. Then he did the last thing she expected, he pulled her to him and he pressed his mouth to hers. Her knees almost gave out. Her arms wrapped around his back and she held him. Legolas moved his hands to the back of her neck.

Finally, she pulled back from his embrace, she was a little out of breath. She rested her hand on his chest and looked up into his eyes. They were full of a kind of passion Ariana had never seen. The thought that it was all for her made her heart swim. She couldn't believe how intense the one kiss had been. 

Legolas' hand still cradled her neck. The warmth from his hand filled her body. Oddly, her headache melt down to a dull pain. His other hand was pressed against her lower back. Ariana's whole body willed her to continue the kiss, but in the back of her head she knew there was a very good reason to why she stopped it, she was just having a small problem remembering it as she looked into those eyes. 

"Legolas…" She trailed off. 

"Ariana, this morning when I came upon those Orcs and I saw them standing over you -- " He stopped and grasped both of her hands in-between them. "I could see no harm come to you. Nothing would cause me more pain then to see you hurt." He brought her hands up to his mouth and he placed a small kiss on the knuckles of her hand. "I vow my bow to you, to protect you."

Ariana opened her mouth to speak, but she couldn't think of anything to say. "Legolas..." she began again. She stopped when she saw that look in his eyes again. She let out a small laugh and kissed his cheek. "Thank you," she whispered. 

He nodded his head and back away, still holding her hands. He led her back to her room and opened the door for her. Ariana didn't know what the Elf had planned, and couldn't tell if she was relieved or disappointed when, after another kiss, he left her alone. She thought it was for the best, though she still couldn't figure out why. 

Ariana stood by the bed and pulled off her jeans. She put her arms above her head and stretched out her back, then she pulled the blanket back and crawled into the bed. She was asleep after a few minutes.

* * *

Legolas stepped outside of Ariana's room and leaned his back against the closed door. He felt Ariana's aura just beyond his reach and it was driving him crazy. He knew Ariana wanted nothing more then to be with him, just as he wanted her, but something was holding her back. He would give her the time she needed, which he hoped would not be long. He pushed himself off the door and walked to his room.

****

****Notes****

Yep. Everytime I hear "The Lighthouse's Tale" by Nickel Creek, I always think of Legolas. It never fails. I have no idea why, it just happens. It felt appropriate to put it in somewhere. And to all of you who've never heard it, I demand you find a copy of it somewhere and listen to it. Beautiful song. [All disclaimers and warnings can be found at the beginning of chapter 1.] 


	8. Love Does Conquer All

****

The Traveler: Chapter Eight 

The next morning Ariana woke to the sun pouring in through her bedroom window. She got out of bed and found a basin of water in the corner of the room to clean herself. It was a challenge, but after awhile, she began to feel clean again. 

She looked back to the bed and saw her wrinkled jeans still piled on the ground. She was about to slip them on again when she noticed another gown had been placed at the end of her bed. She wondered how it stayed there while she slept, but figured it wasn't important. She finally decided against the jeans.

She picked the dress up and was relieved to see it was a lot less formal then the one the day before. It was a simple dark green dress with three-quarter sleeves and with a collar that stopped short of her neck. She pulled it on and was happy with the fit again. She just smiled and shook her head, then looked down under the edge of the bed for shoes. She found a pair of boots and put them on. 

Ariana grabbed the comb out of the back pocket of her jeans and combed her damp hair. As she was tried to dry the rest of her hair out with a towel that had been left by the basin, she heard a knock at the door. She threw the towel back at the basin and turned to the door just in time to see Legolas' blonde head appear. She smiled when she saw him, a few butterflies still remaining in her stomach. He entered her room and walked over to her, she noticed he kept one arm behind his back. 

He was dressed almost identical to the day before. He wore dark pants and a mossy tunic. He blonde hair was pulled back into a long braid, with two small braids on either side of his head. He looked absolutely gorgeous to Ariana and after last night's kiss, she didn't know what to expect from him. 

"Good morning, Legolas," she said as he stopped in front of her. She saw his eyes trail down her body and she couldn't help but blush a light pink. 

"Good morning, Ariana. How do you feel today?"

"I feel fine," she lied. Her headache was back with a vengeance. The pain had started in back of her skull and was slowly working to conquer the rest. She didn't want to worry Legolas though. She figured it would eventually go away, it normally did if she was around him long enough. "What have you got there?" she asked as she motioned to his arm.

A small grin came to his face and she smiled back at him. From behind his back he pulled out a long, thin arrow. Ariana was a little confused. "An arrow?" 

"Yes. I was wondering, Lady Ariana, if you have ever learned archery?"

Ariana laughed shook her head. "No, I can't say that I have. Archery isn't too big back home," she said as she studied the tip of the arrow. It looked deadly. 

He dropped the arrow to his side and held out his other hand. "Then I will teach you," he said as she took his hand and he lead her out of the room.

* * *

Legolas lead her to an open meadow in the woods. He carried a bow and had a full quiver of arrows on his back. He held her hand the whole time they walked through the woods and it was a good thing, since Ariana almost tripped a few times while they made their way to the meadow. 

When they stopped, Ariana pulled her cloak tighter around her shoulders. She was glad Legolas had given it to her before they left. She should have known it was going to be chilly in the morning. 

She watched as Legolas pull an arrow out of the quiver and she stepped closer to watch him set it on the bow, then he drew the string back. When he released the string Ariana didn't even see the arrow in the air. She heard the crack of wood splitting and saw the arrow embedded in the bark of a tree a few hundred yards away. 

Ariana was stunned. The thought of the arrow ripping through flesh flashed in her mind and she found a new respect for Legolas and the Elvish bow. 

Legolas turned to her and motioned for her to come closer. He handed her the bow and she was surprised at how light it was. She held it in her left hand and looked to Legolas for further instructions. He smiled at her and handed her an arrow. 

Once more, she was memorized by the tip of the arrow. She felt a little uncomfortable holding the arrow; it was almost like holding a loaded gun. 

"Place the arrow on the top of your hand, with your fingers holding the end on the string," Legolas told her. He stood behind her and placed his hands on hers. She felt his body against her back and she almost dropped the bow. She straightened up and did what he told her. 

"Pull the string back," he helped her pull it back. It was a lot harder then Ariana thought it would be. The string was already pretty taunt, and she had a little trouble pulling it back far enough. 

"Line up your target." Ariana had no idea what her target was, so she just aimed at the same tree Legolas had hit. She doubted she'd hit anything the first time anyways. 

"And then, release the string," Legolas said at last. Ariana took a deep breath and let go. She felt herself pushed back against Legolas and she watched as her arrow disappeared into the darkness around the trees. 

After a second of silence, Ariana busted out laughing. She covered her mouth with one hand and gripped the bow with the other. She couldn't help herself; even though she'd known she wasn't going to hit anything, the thought of the two of them standing there waiting for anything was just hilarious to her. 

Ariana looked over towards Legolas and saw a look of confusion on his face. She quieted down and followed Legolas' gaze back to the woods. She didn't see anything and turned back to him. "What is it?"

Legolas looked over to her. "Do I have to go find that arrow now?" he asked her in a small voice. Ariana looked at him for a moment and started laughing again and this time the elf joined her. 

The rest of the morning went by quickly, as Legolas tried to help Ariana and her archery skills. At first she'd thought she was hopeless, but after a couple of hours, she could actually aim the blasted thing and hit her target. She wasn't ready for the Olympics, but she could hit a tree, if there wasn't any wind. 

In the end, the two ended up sitting on their cloaks under the warm sun. Ariana leaned back on her elbows, her legs crossed, looking up at the sky. Legolas was sitting to her left, his legs crossed under him. Ariana was tracing out pictures in the clouds, though she was having a rough time of it since there were hardly any clouds in the clear blue sky. 

Ariana looked over to Legolas and was surprised to find him watching her. She smiled and him and rolled onto her side, propping herself up on her elbow. "What is it?"

He gave her a small smile and looked down to the ground. Ariana was shocked. She'd never seen him like this. It was almost like he was bashful. She surpressed a laugh and sat up, her knees a few inches from his. "Legolas?"

He looked up to her and she waited for him to speak. Then he leaned towards her and kissed her. He pulled her close and felt her heart beating, the warmth from her body. Just like the night before, he felt drawn to Ariana. She looked more beautiful now to him, here, out in the woods, then ever before. 

He pulled his head back and looked into her eyes. He looked for a sign that she was angry, that she wanted him to stop. He prayed he would not see what he feared. 

Ariana looked at him quietly. Her heart was racing with surprise. After last night, she should have expected this. She knew Legolas' feelings for her were the same as hers for him. She didn't want to listen to that little voice in the back of her head, the little voice that had stopped her last night. She was going to listen to her heart this time. 

She placed her hand on the back of Legolas' neck and pulled his mouth to hers. She closed her eyes and ran her hands over Legolas' back. She melted against his strong body. Finally, she felt right. This kiss, this embrace made more sense to her then anything else she'd ever done in her whole life. 

Legolas was filled with such joy at the fact she hadn't rejected him. Having her in his arms and knowing she wanted to be there gave him such an amazing feeling. She was here, with him, in this embrace. He didn't want to break it, but he wanted to see her eyes, to see the same feeling in her eyes that he knew were in his. 

He looked into her eyes and smiled. Nothing had ever brought him this much joy, this much amazement. He brushed her hair from her face and kissed her again. 

Ariana felt herself pulling towards Legolas. The only time Ariana felt truly safe was when Legolas' arms were tight around her. Nothing could get her when he was near. He'd vowed to protect her and she trusted him with her life.

Legolas' hand moved up her arm and lightly brushed against her breast. His hand stopped at the collar of her dress. As they kissed again his had strayed to the buttons on the front of the dress. 

Ariana's mind was whirling. She couldn't believe what was happening as she laid back on the cloak, her eyes never leaving Legolas'. Her hand trailed down his arm to his hand where she linked fingers with him.

Legolas brought their hands to his mouth and kissed each of Ariana's fingers, then he leaned down and pressed his mouth to hers. He stretched out beside her body, his hand now resting on her hip. He kissed down the side of her neck and he undid the buttons to her collar. Legolas slipped the dress off Ariana's shoulders and let it bunch at her hips. 

Ariana blushed as she laid there with her bra on. Legolas noticed her blushing and smiled. He kissed her again and whispered something to her, "Lle maa vanima." She figured it was Elvish and she asked what it meant after their kiss. 

He looked her in the eye and placed his hand on her cheek. "You are beautiful," he replied. Ariana let out a soft "oh" and blushed a deeper red. 

Legolas' hand strayed to her bra and he slipped a finger under one of the straps. His face showed his confusion and Ariana let out a small laugh. She didn't know if bras were common in Middle Earth so she sat up to give herself room to reach behind her and she unhook the bra. 

She paused for only a second as she realized what she was about to do. She quickly thought about her actions. If she did this, if she kept going she knew she wouldn't be able to stop herself. Then she realized she didn't want to stop. She unhooked her bra, slipped it off and placed it to the side. 

Ariana had never been this nervous before. She'd been with a few men during her life, but none like Legolas. None of those guys had been this perfect, felt this perfect with her. 

Legolas looked at Ariana's eyes and saw her lust and passion for him. He couldn't help but give her a smile, then he leaned over and kissed her. He left a small trail of kisses down the side of her neck, down to her breast. He gently kissed around her breast, then he softly kiss the nipple. Ariana sucked in her breath and closed her eyes. Her hands were either stroking Legolas' head or clutched at her side. 

His lips sent a shiver down her spine. They were softer then silk against her skin. As Legolas kissed her breast, his other hands gently caressed the other. After a few moments, he switched sides. Bolts of pleasure were coursing throughout Ariana's body. 

"Legolas," Ariana said in a shaky whisper. He looked up to her face and saw she was flushed. He reached up and stroked her cheek. She grabbed his hand and kissed his palm. Then she smiled at him and began to pull her dress down the rest of the way. Legolas watched her for a second, then began to remove his tunic. 

Ariana watched as he removed his clothing. As Legolas pulled his tunic off, she saw his slim but muscular chest. Then he slipped off his pants and Ariana's eyes trailed down his trim body. His long, tapered legs reminded her of a runners, as did his arms. His shaft stood up firmly from his body and Ariana looked back up to his face. 

Legolas laid back down beside her and kissed her again. His hand strayed back to her chest and Ariana ran her hands up and down his back. His skin was so soft to her. Everything about him was perfect to her. 

Legolas lifted himself above her and kissed her forehead, then he looked into her eyes. Ariana watched his eyes and took a deep breath as he slowly slid inside her. She let out a small moan as he filled her. Legolas waited for Ariana to relax under him. 

When she brought her eyes up to his he slowly begun to move inside her. Ariana held onto Legolas and felt her heart racing inside her chest. Their bodies moved together under the warm afternoon sun. 

Legolas felt Ariana tense under him and he knew she was close to the edge. He pressed his mouth to hers and held her close as she climaxed under him. Ariana felt her climax building within her and when it finally hit her she gasped and wrapped her arms around Legolas. 

Legolas felt her tighten around him which brought on his own climax. Legolas' strength gave out and he gently laid himself on top of Ariana, his head rested on her chest. Ariana softly stroked his hair and closed her eyes as she took a few shaky breaths. Legolas listened to Ariana's heart and closed his eyes. 

The two laid in each other's embrace in the small meadow. After an hour Legolas opened his eyes and lifted his head. He looked down at Ariana's sleeping form. Her chest slowly rose and fell while she slept. He smiled at her and moved off of her. He curled up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. He closed his eyes again and listened to her breathing for a few minutes before dozing off again.

****

****Notes****

::blushes:: I know, I know. You weren't expecting that. ::hangs head:: I sorry, but come on! It had to happen sooner or later, and I'm just glad it didn't come out all smutty. ::smiles:: You guys have no idea how much trouble I had writing this chapter. I think the Council is the only other one that I had trouble with. Damn council. [All disclaimers and warnings can be found at the beginning of chapter 1.]


	9. Namarrie Mirkwood

**The Traveler: Chapter Nine**

Legolas didn't wake again until dusk. He opened his eye to the dark orange sky of the setting sun. He stretched his body and looked over to Ariana. She'd drawn away from him during their sleep. She lay a few feet away, her legs pulled up to her chest. 

Legolas crept closer to Ariana. It looked to him that her whole body was shaking. He gently touched her shoulder and called her name. When his fingers touched her shoulder he felt a fire on her skin. He looked at her face and saw her eyelids flickering but they remained closed. 

Becoming worried, Legolas quickly dressed Ariana and himself, then he gently lifted Ariana into his arms and turned back to Mirkwood. Legolas looked down at Ariana. Her lips were opened slightly and Legolas could see she was taking shallow breaths. 

Legolas held Ariana closer and stepped through the woods. He did not know what evil had its hold on her and hoped Gandalf could help her.

Ariana had no idea what was going on around her. While she'd slept after making love to Legolas, she'd slowly slipped into a void of nothingness. Now she was stuck; she couldn't find her way out of it. If Legolas had look under her dress and seen her necklace he would have seen it was burning a bright red. 

* * *

After Legolas left Ariana in her room, he went searching for Gandalf. Ariana's skin was still on fire and Legolas felt a need to find the wizard quickly. 

Gandalf was sitting with King Thranduil in the same room the King and Ariana had first met in. Legolas approached the two and told Gandalf that he needed his help. The two returned to Ariana's room. They found her curled up in a fetal position. 

Gandalf laid his hand upon her forehead. The heat from her skin crept up his arm. He furrowed his brow and studied her face. Her eyelids still continued to flicker, as though she was dreaming. 

Legolas watched Gandalf as he stepped back from the bed. The old wizard suddenly seemed older to Legolas. Gandalf turned to him. "We will have to leave for Rivendall earlier then I had hoped." Gandalf stepped to the door and opened it but didn't leave. "Tell your father we will be leaving tomorrow." Legolas looked back to Ariana before he left the room to do what Gandalf asked.

After Legolas left, Gandalf looked over to Ariana's still form. He heard her let out a small moan as her face contracted as though she was pained. Gandalf stepped to the side of the bed and raised his staff. Words fell past his lips that were only used in the dire of circumstances. 

A bright white light began to radiate from the tip of the staff. Ariana was bathed in a cool, soothing light. Immediately she stopped shaking and her body relaxed. A change came across her face. Her features were relaxed and peaceful. 

Gandalf let out a satisfied grunt and lowered his staff. A look of pity came across his face. Ariana's troubles were only beginning. She reminded him so much of Frodo, when he first encountered the Ring. Lost in a world of pain and torture, they both would suffer much in the end.

* * *

Gandalf sat by Ariana's bed for the rest of the night and far into the morn. He watched over her and pondered what would happen at the Council of Elrond. 

Legolas hardly left Ariana's side as she lay in slumber. He held her hand and stroked her hair, all while under the watchful eye of Gandalf. 

When Ariana awake the next morning she was surprised to see the Elf sitting by her bed. She gave him a warm smile and stroked his cheek. Legolas held her hand and asked how she was feeling. 

Ariana let out a small laugh and kissed his hand. "I'm feeling much better, thank you." She pulled herself up to a sitting position and looked over to Gandalf. 

"Good morning, Gandalf," Ariana said in the happiest voice she could muster. She'd only been awake a few minutes and her headache was already upon her. 

"Good morning, Ariana," the old wizard replied. 

Gandalf's eyes trailed to the far corner of the room, then back to the bed. Ariana followed his gaze and saw a small bag packed in the corner of the room. Ariana looked back to Gandalf.

"Are we leaving already?" Ariana asked as she looked between Legolas and Gandalf. She figured their plans must have changed a bit while she'd been busy in her dream world. 

She thought to herself for a quick moment and tried to remember what it was she had been dreaming about. She remembered a dark tower, high above a battle and she could remember a small sword, maybe a dagger. The memory faded and she was left with nothing, just a feeling of dread about her future in Middle Earth. A small shiver crept up her back and she pulled the covers up to her chest. 

"We will be leaving for Rivendall whenever you are ready, Ariana," Gandalf said as he sat back in his chair. "After yesterday, our journey cannot be put off any longer. I have sent word to the others that we will be leaving today." With that, Gandalf stood up from his chair. "Hopefully, you can be ready to leave soon Ariana."

Ariana nodded her head. "Yes. If my things have already been packed, I'm ready to go."

Gandalf said he needed to speak with King Thranduil one last time before they left for Rivendall. He left Ariana and Legolas alone.

Ariana turned and smiled at Legolas. Every feeling and memory came back to her from the meadow. She'd never felt so loved from one person before. "I'm sorry," she said as she looked down. 

Legolas leaned forward and kissed her softly on the lips. "What for?"

Ariana looked him in the eye. She laughed and touched his face. "I'm not sure really, I just have this feeling of guilt." Her hand dropped back to the bed. 

He kissed her again and stood up from his chair. "Do not be sorry, melamin."

Ariana raised her eyebrows at him. "Melamin?"

Legolas smiled at her. "My love." At that, Ariana blushed but smiled at him. 

Suddenly, there came a knock at the door. Legolas and Ariana turned to see a one of the King's servants at the door. He bowed as he entered the room. "Prince Legolas, your father would like to speak with you before you depart."

Legolas nodded at the elf, who then turned and left the room. Legolas then looked back to Ariana. He kissed her forehead and told her he would return quickly, then he left the room.

Ariana took the alone time to get herself out of bed and into some traveling clothes that had been laid out for her again. When she stood up and stretched out her back she felt a pain in her chest. Curiously, it faded away as she moved about the room. She silently wished her headache would do the same.

She pulled the dress on that the Elves had left her again. It was a plain dress just like the one she'd worn out with Legolas. After she was dressed she picked up the bag that had been in the corner of her room and left. 

She ran into Legolas in the hall. He smiled when he saw her and took her bag. He helped her out to the yard where five horses were waiting. Gandalf was already standing out in the yard, as were two elves Ariana had never met. They both had a quiver full of the deadly Elven arrows on their backs. 

King Thranduil came out of the house and a tall Elf followed behind him, carrying a small sword. The King stopped first in front of Gandalf. They exchanged a few words, first in English, then in a language that Ariana didn't know. She figured it must have been Elvish, the same thing she'd been hearing everywhere else. 

After the King was finished speaking with Gandalf, he turned to his son. Legolas stood by one of the horses, petting the beast's head. Legolas hugged his father and said something again in the Elvish language. Ariana watched as the two parted from their embrace. 

Ariana smiled as the old king turned to her next. The King returned her smile, though she noticed the sadness contained in it. They hugged and Ariana felt like she was losing a father. A deep sadness suddenly filled her heart, causing her headache to sweep across her mind. 

"I don't know how to thank you for your kindness to me. I wish there was something I could do to repay you," Ariana said as they parted.

The smile quickly vanished from the King's face and Ariana feared she'd said the wrong thing. She was confused as she watched the King called forward the Elf who'd followed him out into the yard.

"For you, Lady Ariana," King Thranduil said as he took the small sword from the Elf and handed it to her. Ariana slowly took the sword, which she now realized was no bigger then a dagger. It was extremely light in her hands. She studied the hilt of the dagger and noticed the same strange writing on it that had been in the book that had started all this. 

Ariana looked back up to the King as he began to speak. "Forged by the Elves, I hope it will bring you hope when it is most needed."

Ariana smiled and hugged the King one last time. She whispered a soft 'thank you' before they parted again. He smiled at her and laid a small kiss on her forehead. 

The five travelers quickly mounted their horses and rode down the long path into the surrounding forest. Ariana couldn't help but wipe away a tear as they entered the woods. A feeling of dread and sadness hit her as the thought that she'd never see Mirkwood again entered her mind. She didn't know where the thought came from, but she knew it was true.

******Notes******

Yep, with in doubt, consult a wizard. I couldn't think of any cool names in Elvish for Ariana's dagger. I was tempted to name it Spork, but I don't think that would go along with the rest of the story. [All disclaimers and warnings can be found at the beginning of chapter 1.]


	10. An Enlightening Trip

****

The Traveler: Chapter Ten

The first day of riding passed by the five quickly. They were completely surrounded by the trees of Mirkwood. Ariana was caught in the beauty and simplicity of it all, just like the first day she'd arrived in Middle Earth. 

The woods were mostly silent, except for a few birds' calls and the Elves' singing. Ariana rode next to Legolas and listen to his strong voice as he and the other two Elves sang a song about the sun and moon and stars. It was quit a beautiful song. The feeling the three Elves put into their singing made up for the fact that Ariana didn't know some of the Elvish words in it. 

As they rode, Ariana fell back beside Gandalf. The old wizard sat upon his horse, a light colored horse who's name was Shadowfax. Ariana horse was a light brown, with a long mane of dark hair. Legolas had told her the horse's name was Argon. 

Ariana couldn't keep the smile off her face as they rode until the darkening sky. She deeply wished for a pencil and her sketchpad she always kept by her bed back home. 

She took a deep breath and looked over at Gandalf. "It's so beautiful," she said as she motioned towards the woods. 

Gandalf smiled at her and slowly nodded his head. Ariana let out a sigh and frowned a little. "I wish I had my sketchpad. I'd love to get these down." 

Gandalf weighed Ariana last comment for a few moments, then nodded his head slowly, almost like he'd decided something. 

The five travelers stopped a few hours later. They moved off the road to a small clearing. One of the Elves pulled out some food and handed out to the other four. Ariana looked at the food and saw a it was a cross between a cookie and a piece of bread. Legolas told her it was lembas, food specially made by the Elves.

Ariana took a bite and immediately felt a warmth spread throughout her body. The lembas revived her from the long day of traveling after only a few bites. It took away the aches and pains she'd received from riding. She only wished it had also taken away her growing headache. Ariana hoped the riding out give her a reason to actually get some sleep tonight.

Ariana laid down on the soft grass and pulled her cloak tighter around her. She closed her eyes and let her body relax completely.

Just then, she felt a movement to her right and opened her eyes. She smiled as Legolas laid beside her. She changed her position and curled up beside him. His arm wrapped itself around her body and Ariana fell asleep, feeling protected by Legolas' strong arm around her.

* * *

The five began riding again early the next morning. Ariana quickly mounted Argon and settled into the saddle. She stretched her back and began to follow Legolas out of the clearing and back on the path they'd been following the day before.

As they rode, Ariana felt a pain begin to spread from her chest throughout her body. She braced herself again the saddle and closed her eyes. Her headache was worse then before and she quickly became lightheaded. Ariana opened her eyes and rubbed her forehead.

"Ariana?" she heard a voice asked her. She looked over and saw Legolas' worried face. She realized they'd stopped and the four other travelers were now watching her.

"I- ," she began, but it caught in her throat. She couldn't explain it. For some reason, the farther they rode, the stronger the pain in her head and chest became. 

Legolas pulled his horse, a beautiful white stallion named Ithil, closer and touched Ariana's shoulder. He quickly saw the pain in her face and realized she couldn't ride herself. 

"You shall ride with me, if you wish," Legolas said as placed his hand on hers. Ariana nodded her head and let him pull her onto his horse. She sat in front of him, between his arms. One of the Elves grabbed Argon's reins and tied them to his horse's saddle. 

The rest of the trip went by quickly for Ariana, only because she was semi-conscious for it. She barely recalled stopping the second night. She remembered the lembas, a bright light in a sea of darkness. She also remembered laying next to Legolas as she slept. 

Something Ariana couldn't forget was the pain. She'd have given anything to make the pain in her head and chest stop. She sat on Ithil with her head resting on Legolas' shoulder as they passed into the Hithaeglir Mountains. 

The five stopped for their final night in the middle of the mountains. Ariana slipped down off Ithil's saddle and into Legolas' arms. She gave him a weak smile and he helped her to the fire that had been built. 

Ariana sat silently beside Legolas, her arms wrapped around herself, trying to stay warm. The mountains surrounded them, giving Ariana a feeling of dread. She missed the smell and feel of the woods. The mountains were cold and dark; not what Ariana needed at the moment.

After some more of the Elves' lembas the five laid down wherever they could find the softest rocks and slept. 

Ariana couldn't sleep though. She laid in Legolas' embrace for over an hour, but the pain in her chest kept her up. It almost felt like a something was constricting around her chest; it was painful for her to take deep breaths. 

Ariana slipped out from under Legolas' arm and crept away to a nearby rock. She sat with her head bowed, rubbing her temples. She thought about the upcoming Council and what she was going to do. 

She knew Gandalf had spoken the truth; that the only way to end this was her own death. Ariana had a little trouble excepting it. She thought about the dagger King Thranduil had given her, that was now packed away in her bag on Argon's saddle. 

Ariana turned back and looked at Legolas. She narrowed her eyes and studied Legolas' face. She couldn't believe her eyes, Legolas was sleeping, or appeared to be sleeping with his eyes opened. Ariana crept up to Legolas and she crouched down just off to his right.

His breathing was slow and deep. Ariana would have sworn to anyone Legolas was asleep. His blue eyes weren't fixed on any particular point in the distance, they just stared out into the darkness.

Ariana leaned back and sat silently for a few moments. Gandalf's low voice startled her. "Yes, he is asleep. Deep in slumber, I would say, after riding for so long." Ariana whirled around and saw the old wizard shifting position on the ground.

"With his eyes open like that?" she asked his as she slipped away from Legolas, afraid to wake him.

"A habit of the Elves, if they have something they feel they need to protect," Gandalf said as he settled his old body onto the ground. "Legolas would often sleep with his eyes peering into the night when the Fellowship made their journey to Mordor."

Ariana looked back to her sleeping love. She knew Legolas worried about her day and night, she just didn't know he kept watch over her while they both slept.

After Gandalf fell asleep, Ariana crept back to Legolas. His eyes were still open, and his breathing was still deep. Ariana sat down beside him and curled up against his side. She laid her head against his chest and listened to his heart beating. She closed her eyes and fell asleep with Legolas watching the night.

* * *

The last day of their journey was slow for Ariana. She set upon Argon's saddle and watched the mountains looming all around her. Legolas had been worried about her riding on her own, but she assured him she'd be fine. He rode to her left, glancing over to her whenever he got the chance. 

The trip to Rivendall had worried Legolas more then anything. Ariana's aura was slightly hazy to him. The same darkness he'd felt the first day he'd met her was back again. Ariana hardly complained about her pains, still, Legolas knew she was tired and in need of rest. 

Legolas could not have been happier when the grand House of Elrond began to peak over the edge of the cliff they were climbing. 

Ariana sucked in a breath at the house. It was beautiful. Set right into the side of the mountain, it looked almost too good to be true. The afternoon sunlight streamed over the edge of the surrounding cliffs and covered the house in warm sunlight. 

The five came to a small cliff on the side of the mountain. Ariana's eyes trailed along the path and figured it was the only way down to the House. Legolas told the two Elves to go first and that they would follow. Ariana looked over to Gandalf as he pulled up beside her. Ariana noticed a hint of a smile was spreading across the old wizard's face. 

Legolas also turned to the wizard, but Gandalf spoke before Legolas could. "Go next Legolas. I would like a word with Ariana before we reached the House of Elrond."

Legolas moved his horse over to the trail. "I will speak with Lord Elrond when I arrive," he said as he looked to Gandalf. 

Ariana watched as Legolas smiled to her, then started after the other two Elves. She pulled Argon's reins and moved closer to Gandalf. 

"What is it Gandalf?" Ariana asked. 

Gandalf let out a small sigh and motioned towards Elrond's House. "Ariana, when the Council begins, you must remember that at times even the gentlest of creatures can become fierce in the worst of situations."

Ariana was a little confused by his words. "Gandalf, what's going to happen at the Council?"

Gandalf straightened in Shadowfax's saddle and looked to the House. He didn't answer her and Ariana began to think he wasn't going to. Her gaze also trailed towards the beautiful mountain House of Elrond. 

Suddenly, Gandalf spoke. His voice was grave as he spoke. "Many will not understand what is happening. Many of them thought all of Middle Earth's fears were destroyed with the passing of the One Ring. 

"You must remember, Ariana, that what is said is not what has to be done. In the end it must be your decision and only your decision." 

Ariana looked to the ground and petted Argon's neck. The horse quietly neighed and Ariana looked to Gandalf. The wizard was watching her again. Suddenly, Ariana felt very tired. 

Gandalf seemed to understand this and told her to start down the cliff and that he would follow behind her.

"They will begin to wonder what is keeping us," he said as he smiled at her.

****

****Notes****

I always thought the sleeping with your eyes open was the best Elf trick, besides the whole walking on snow thing. ::rubs hands together:: Oh man, I can't wait to get the Council chapter up here. I had to watch that part in the movie a couple of times to get everything set. You'll see what I mean. [All disclaimers and warnings can be found at the beginning of chapter 1.] - Aren't you guys sick of reading this yet? 


	11. Welcome to Rivendall, Mr Anderson

**The Traveler: Chapter Eleven **

The two rode down towards the House in silence. Ariana watched the trees pass by her slowly, a feeling of dread growing in her stomach. She felt like she was riding to her death.

Gandalf was silent as they descended the mountainside. The old wizard seemed to be deep in though and Ariana thought it best not to bother him.

She was having a tough enough time keeping upright atop Argon. A powerful headache was starting at the base of her skull and working sharp fingers throughout the rest of her. 

She began to feel drowsy as the two entered a beautiful courtyard. Trees surrounded the yard except for a large door at the front. A man stood in the doorway, dressed in deep red robes. His long dark hair was pulled back to show a stern face. A small gold crown weaved across his forehead.

Ariana pulled to a stop and slide off Argon's saddle. As she and Gandalf neared the man, a sad smile spread across his sorrowful face.

Gandalf looked over at Ariana. "Ariana, this is Lord Elrond, Lord of Rivendall and the Homely House." Ariana wasn't sure what she was supposed to do, but she quickly bowed and then looked to Gandalf, afraid she'd made a mistake. 

If she had it didn't show on the wizard's face. He turned to Elrond and motioned towards Ariana as he spoke, "This, Lord Elrond, is Lady Ariana Korvec."

Lord Elrond gently nodded his head to Ariana. "Welcome to Rivendall, Lady Ariana," Elrond said, with a hint of a smile. He motioned to three horses, standing on the far side of the courtyard. "The rest of you party has already arrived." He turned back to Ariana and Gandalf. "They have already been shown to their rooms, for much needed rest."

Just then, a beautiful, dark haired elf stepped into the courtyard. She walked up to Elrond's side and gave a small bow. "The rooms have been prepared, Lord Elrond," the elf said in a soft voice.

Elrond nodded his head and looked at Ariana. "Kaiya will show you to your room, Lady Ariana, where you may rest before tomorrow's Council."

Ariana smiled and thanked him, then followed the dark haired elf out of the courtyard and into the House.

* * *

Ariana couldn't believe how beautiful everything was. Sunlight streamed through the windows of the ceiling, giving the walls and floors a glimmer. The room that the two stopped at was nothing short of breath taking. 

Above the bed was a white canopy, with creamy white silk hanging down the sides. The bed was also covered in the white silk, which reminded Ariana of just how tired she was. 

A sudden voice behind her startled her and Ariana turned to see Kaiya standing at the door. The elf smiled at her. "If you need anything more, Lady Ariana, I will see to it."

"Uh, no. Thank you Kaiya, but all I need is some sleep," Ariana said with a small laugh. Kaiya gave a small nod and left the room, closing the door behind her.

Ariana let out a long sigh and stretched out her back. She had no idea what was planned for the rest of the day, but she knew the first thing she was going to do was take a very long nap.

She moved to the bed and pulled of her riding shoes. Then she pulled down the blankets and slowly crawled deep down in the covers. Her head had barely touched the pillow before she was asleep.

* * *

Gandalf watched as Ariana was lead out of the courtyard and into the Homely House of Elrond. A small weight had lifted from his troubled mind when they arrived in Rivendall. 

"So, she is the great traveler? The one who holds the power to destroy all of Middle Earth?" Gandalf heard a voice ask beside him.

"Yes, this young woman holds Sauron's power," he answered Elrond solemnly. Gandalf saw Elrond shake his head.

"The Council will not like this; the life of every creature in the hands of a woman, a woman who is not even from our time, Gandalf. How will she be able to make such a decision?" Elrond asked. 

Gandalf stood silent for a moment, staring at the door Ariana had just passed through. "The Council has no say in who was chosen for such a task, just as they will have no say in the decision she must make. The Council has been called to discuss what should be done after Ariana has made her decision. We must be prepared to fight Sauron, if that is the decision she makes."

Gandalf stopped and looked to Elrond. "I do no think Ariana should be present at the Council tomorrow. She can serve no purpose there," he said suddenly.

Elrond studied Gandalf for a second. "No purpose? Gandalf, the Council must see her. She holds the key to Sauron's power and she must face the council."

"What good will that do, Elrond, besides confuse her even more," Gandalf said with a sigh. "I fear the Council does not understand what faces Ariana. The decision is not one easily made."

"The Council will not stand her absence. She must be there, if not only to see the beings of Middle Earth," Elrond said slowly. Tiredness had slipped into his voice while he reasoned with Gandalf. 

The two stood silent for a few moments. Then Gandalf turned to Elrond and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I suppose you are right my friend, the Council should see Ariana."

Gandalf stepped back and let out a small sigh. "I don't suppose you have a bed for an old friend? The Council will be beginning early in the morning and I fear the ride from Mirkwood was a little more tiring then I remembered."

* * *

Far belong men where screaming, metal was hitting metal; there was a war going on below.

Ariana could hear it all but she couldn't see anything. She was stuck in the middle of a room. Across from her was a window, but she couldn't force her legs to work. Something was holding her back; something didn't want her to see the fight.

She looked around the room and felt a chill run down her spine. She searched the shadows of the room but couldn't find the source of her uneasiness. Then she felt another chill the shook her to her core.

Ariana woke up from her nightmare with a gasp. She quickly sat up in bed and looked around. Moonlight poured in through the windows and gave the whole room a soft glow. 

She realized she was shaking all over. She could still feel the chill under her skin. She raised her hand in front of her face and watched it tremble. She made a fist and dropped her hand back to her lap. 

Just then, a small knock on the door made her jump. Ariana let out a small sigh and climbed out of the warm bed. She stepped up to the door and pulled it open a crack. She smiled and pulled the door all the way open and Legolas walked in.

As soon as the door was closed behind him, Ariana was in his arms, her mouth pressed tightly against his. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him to her. She laid her head against his chest and let her hands drop down and warp around his slim waist. Arian listened to Legolas' heart beating and felt his hands stroke her hair. Legolas rested his chin on the top of Ariana's head and closed his eyes.

They stood together, silent, motionless for a very long time, until Arian pulled her head back and looked up at Legolas. He smiled down at her, then quickly slide his arm behind her legs and lifted her into his arms. He then carried her over to the bed and gently laid her down. 

Ariana scooted over and Legolas climbed in beside her. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to his side. Ariana nestled her head under his chin. She felt Legolas' hand run up and down her back, then come to a rest on her lower back.

"I was so worried about you," Legolas said in a quiet voice.

Ariana pulled back her head and looked at Legolas. A shadow feel across hi face, his blue eyes peering at her out of the dark. Ariana felt a tug at her heart, but gave Legolas a bright smile. "But I'm perfectly fine."

He looked away from her and Ariana frowned. She ran her hand over his chest and waited for him to speak.

Legolas' eyes searched the darkness of the room. Ariana had no idea how scared he'd been that day he'd awoken to find her so near death. Her breathing had been so shallow and light, he'd feared to move her. Later, as he sat by her bed, he realized he had failed her. He had not protected her even as she lay in his arms.

Ariana saw the pain in his face and understood what trouble him. She looked down and began to fiddle with the hem of Legolas' tunic. "Legolas, you cannot protect me from myself," she said quietly. She felt a tear in the corner of her eyes and quickly wiped it away. "It's not your fault this happened. It's no one's fault," she said slowly. 

Ariana looked up to find Legolas watching her. "There's nothing you can do Legolas. Gandalf said I have to face this by myself."

"I want to help you. I do not think I can stand by and watch you do this alone," he said as he gently touched her face.

Ariana let out a sigh and stopped playing with Legolas' tunic. She grabbed his hand and gave it a soft squeeze.

"Then don't leave me alone. I don't think I could take being along at a time like this anyways," she said quietly.

Legolas wrapped his arms around her and held Ariana close to him. He felt her curl up right against him.

Soon Legolas could feel Ariana's breathing slow as she fell asleep. He was reminded of the day in the meadow. They have fallen asleep in each other's arms, and then when he'd woken, he'd found Ariana had pulled away from him. She was curled up and alone.

Legolas couldn't help a feeling of dread overwhelm him. Something did not feel right to him, but as quickly as the feeling had hit him, it was gone again, leaving Legolas confused. He pulled Ariana closer and shut his eyes.

******Notes******

I just realized Ariana sleeps a whole hell of a lot in this story. Woo-hoo! Council's up next! [All disclaimers and warnings…. Ya know, if you have any problems, just head back to the first chapter, ok?]


	12. The Council of Elrond

**The Traveler: Chapter Twelve**

The Council began early the next morning. The sun's light had barely begun to warm the air before Ariana found herself seated in a large circle with Legolas on one side and Gandalf on the other. Beside Legolas and Gandalf, many people she'd never seen before in her entire life surrounded Ariana. Elrond stood off to Ariana's right, before a large seat set away from the rest of the group. As Ariana's eyes traveled around the circle, Legolas quietly explained who each person was. 

Only a few of the names stuck out in her memory though, the four small hobbits that sat across from her, for example. Ariana studied each of the four, stopping for a moment on Frodo Baggins. He sat almost exactly across from her and as her gaze feel across him, he looked up at her. Their eyes locked for a second, but it was enough for Ariana to notice his eyes were extremely blue and filled with a certain amount of sorrow. Ariana remember the tale Legolas and Gandalf had told her. Frodo had faced an enormous amount of evil as he bared the One Ring to Mordor and it still showed on his small face. 

Next to the hobbit sat three men from the city of Gondor. According to Legolas, the man in the middle was King Aragorn, not so long ago known as Strider. He sat proudly in his chair; a small crown perched on the top of his head. Ariana did notice a small trace of a smile creep onto his face as two of the hobbits got into a small argument. The two were Merry and Pippin; "two hobbits that were the best of friends", Legolas told her.

Seated next were three dwarves. Ariana couldn't believe how odd they looked. She supposed her mind's eye automatically pictured Doc and Dopey when she heard dwarves but that picture couldn't be farther from the truth. The three had large beards that covered most of their faces. They talked to each other quickly and barely noticed the rest of the group around them. 

One of the dwarves kept casting his glance in their direction though. Ariana finally realized it was meant for Legolas. He laughed and looked over at the dwarf. "My old friend, Gimli. He could never be trusted to keep himself out of other's private matters." The elf chuckled to himself and looked back at Ariana. She smiled back at him and looked down at her hands. 

Legolas watched her for a few minutes then he also looked down to her hands. She had them clasped together in her lap. Her knuckles where quickly turning white. Legolas placed his hand on top of hers and gave them a small squeeze. Ariana looked back up at him and gave a slight smile.

At the moment, Lord Elrond stood up from his seat and looked around at the faces in front of him. His strong clear voice suddenly broke the quiet that had settled on the Council. 

"Strangers from distant lands, friends of old, we have joined here today to answer the threat of Mordor. The prophecy of Nahron has come true. The Traveler of Sauron has appeared in Middle Earth. The threat of Mordor is growing more powerful each day. We must decide what should be done if Sauron gains his power." 

Elrond looked at the faces around him. Some showed fear, others concern, but one showed nothing but pain. Ariana had barely heard the first words of his speech before a powerful headache shocked her. She barely kept herself from moaning as the pain washed over her.

She faintly heard Aragorn as he asked, "The Traveler has reached Mordor?"

Gandalf spoke gently from beside her. "No, the Traveler was found in the woods of Mirkwood."

A few eyes fell upon Legolas at the mention of Mirkwood. He returned most of the looks, though he kept his thoughts to himself. Gandalf had told him earlier to speak no word of Ariana's true identity. 

A small voice spoke up across from Ariana. She raised her head to see Frodo cast a glance at Aragorn before turning to Gandalf. "And now?"

Gandalf paused for a moment before he spoke again. "The Traveler rests now in Rivendall."

A few soft murmurs were heard as Gandalf words sunk in to most. Though suddenly a powerful voice burst forth from dwarves. The dwarf Legolas had told Ariana was Gimli could barely hide his excitement. "Well bring him forth! Surely he will listen to reason and join out fight against Sauron!"

Ariana looked down at her hands and stayed silent. She knew Gandalf must have his reason for keeping the fact she was the traveler a secret. She watched her feet as she heard Gandalf take a long sigh.

"The decision of the Traveler cannot be made lightly, Master Dwarf," Gandalf said almost sadly. Ariana cringed a little, but kept her thoughts to herself. "For Middle Earth to live, the Traveler must die. It is hardly a choice to be made in haste."

Ariana bit her lip and kept her head lowered. She felt the pain in the back of her head and a slight sick feeling passed over her.

Legolas looked over to Ariana. Her skin was pale and her hair had fallen over her ears to cover her face. He kept himself from reaching over and tucking it behind her ear.

Merry looked to Pippin, then back to Gandalf. He'd heard only stories about the wizard Nahron and his prophecy of the end of Middle Earth. At least, he's only thought they were stories. The sudden news that they in fact were true caused a sudden chill down his spine. "What will happen if the Traveler sides with Sauron?" his small voice asked.

Elrond looked at the hobbit. "The Dark Lord will have all the power he needs to cover all of Middle Earth in darkness. It will be as though the One Ring was never destroyed."

Ariana gently touched her head. The pain felt as though her head was splitting down the middle. Her vision blurred for a few seconds and she closed her eyes.

Pippin, taking the cue from Merry, quickly asked, "And if he sides with us?"

Elrond looked to Gandalf, who paused for a few seconds, studying the small hobbit. "Sauron's power will be destroyed. The shadow in Mirkwood will fade. The threat will die."

Ariana took a few deep breaths and looked up. She saw across from her that Frodo was watching her. His face was filled with concern. Ariana gave him a weak smile and lowered her head again.

"The armies of Mordor will be unstoppable if Sauron gains his power," Aragorn said softly, almost to himself. "Even with the help of the Elves we would not be able to stop them."

The council sat silent as Aragorn's words sank in. Some bowed their heads, deep in thought. Others looked to Aragorn, then to Gandalf or Elrond, looking for a word of comfort. 

Gimli's voice rang out again in the silence. "It seems to me, the best idea is to talk wit this Traveler. See if we can get him to join us!" 

Elrond looked to Gandalf, who silently shook his head. Gandalf looked over to Ariana, who once again had her eyes closed.

Ariana felt as though she was about to scream. Her head was throbbing and her body felt weak. Whatever was causing her headache was slowly spreading throughout her, causing her hands to shake.

Gandalf gently touched Ariana's trembling hand and leaned close to her. "Ariana," he said quietly.

She looked over to him. She had tears in her eyes but she seemed a little calmer. Gandalf gave her a small smile then looked back down at Gimli. "The Traveler will make they're decision when they are ready, Gimli, son of Gloin." 

Ariana wanted to stand up and scream at everyone around her. She had this sudden urge to run from everyone and everything around her, but she didn't have the strength to do it. The rest of the council passed her by in a blur. Every once in awhile she felt Legolas' warm hand squeeze hers reassuringly, but it didn't help her aches. All she wanted was to get away from the Council. It wasn't just that the arguing made her head hurt even worse, but the fact she had to sit there caused her pain. Every time she looked up to find Frodo's blue eyes filled with concern for her it almost ripped her heart in two.

After what seemed like an eternity, Ariana heard the shuffle of feet. She opened her eyes and saw that most of the Council had stood up and were speaking together in small groups.

Legolas still sat beside her, his hand resting atop of hers. Ariana gave it a squeeze and smiled at him. Legolas smiled back and helped her out of her seat. Her knees gave a small wobble but held her up. 

"How do you feel?" he asked her quietly. Ariana looked around. No one seemed to be listening to them but she replied in a quiet voice. "I got a little light headed, but I'm fine now, honest."

Legolas nodded his head and looked over her shoulder. Gandalf stood behind them, talking quietly with Elrond. When the wizard saw the elf looked at him, Gandalf gave him a small nod of his head and then turned back to Elrond. Legolas looked back into Ariana's eyes and smiled at her again. "There's nothing more you need to see here. Let me help you back to your room so you can rest." 

Ariana gave him a genuine smile. "Like Gandalf said?" She laughed quietly and looked around herself. No one seemed to notice her except for the hobbits. They stood in a small circle, watching her and the elf. Ariana quickly looked back at Legolas as he slipped his arm around her waist and helped her away from the Council.

******Notes******

::groans:: Oh man. This chapter… ::sighs:: What a pain in the ass. I remember I wrote this while actually watching The Fellowship. I had a sheet of paper on my lap and as I was watching the Council scene from the movie, I wrote this kinda in play format, just with everyone's words. I got a little antsy around the other characters. I didn't want to portray them in the wrong light or anything. So yeah, that's about all I got. I think I'm going to fold up shop, head back home, plan my family's future. [Yep. I own everything. Mauhahahahaha! Er, wait. Except for all those characters that can be found in any of Tolien's work. So, how many characters could that be? Three? Four?]


	13. Just Stop Thinking

**The Traveler: Chapter Thirteen**

Legolas didn't remove his arm from around Ariana's waist and she was grateful for that. She wasn't sure if her legs would have supported her away from the Council.

The two moved silently down the hall, Legolas' hand setting on Ariana's hip, her head resting on his shoulder. Ariana felt her pains slowly melt from her body. A coolness spread throughout her and with it came a sleepiness she couldn't fight against.

When they finally arrived at the room, Legolas quietly opened the door and lead Ariana inside. He stepped in front of her and gently lifted her face until her eye met his.

"I must get back to the Council but I will be back. Will you be alright by yourself?" he asked her as he stroked her hair.

Ariana gave him a smile and nodded her head. "I'll be fine."

Legolas lowered his mouth to hers and wrapped his arms around her. Then he pulled away from her, gave a quick smile and left the room.

Ariana smiled and shut the door behind Legolas. _He'd better hurry back_, she thought as she turned to the bed. 

Lying on the top of the blanket was a small brown package. Ariana gave it a curious glance, then remembered the last mystery package she'd received. The package was a little larger this time, once more it had no name of mark on it to indicate where it came from or who it was for.

Ariana sat down on the edge of the bed and picked up the package. Her curiosity got the better of her once more and she slowly pulled the paper off the package. _Where am I going to get zapped to next? Oz?_

When all the wrapping was lying on the bed, Ariana was left with a wooden box in her hands. Longer then it was wide, a soft rattle came from it as Ariana tipped it from side to side.

Ariana gave a shrug and opened the small box slowly. Neatly placed inside were a few black sticks of charcoal and a few pieces parchment. She stared at the box for a few minutes, then gently lifted a piece of the charcoal.

A small spread across her face as her gaze fell upon the open window across from her. Ariana pulled a piece of the parchment out of the bottom of the box and crept over to the window.

The sun was high in the afternoon sky, causing the trees to cast shadows across the forest floor of Rivendall. A cool breeze ruffled the leaves and grass, bringing the wonderful smell of the earth to Ariana's window.

Ariana tilted her head and looked at the scene outside her window. She finally settled on an enormous tree she thought to be an oak. Its branches stretched out above the shrubs and grasses under it, creating the perfect place for a summer-time picnic. Ariana made a light sketch on the parchment, then slowly began filling in the details of the tree.

A few silent hours passed as the image in front of Ariana became clearer and clearer. When the sound of the door opening and closing behind her occurred, she didn't even turn around. She kept working on her picture, slowly working on the trunk of the tree.

Suddenly, she felt a familiar hand cup her chin and gently turn her head away from her drawing. Her eyes settled on a pair of cool steel blue eyes and a small smile spread across her face. Legolas' warm lips gently pressed against hers.

Ariana's hand released the charcoal and she heard it break as it hit the floor, but she didn't care. Her hand brushed Legolas' cheek, leaving a soft black smear. 

Ariana pulled back from the kiss and laughed softly. She smiled at him and gently wiped the smear off his face.

Legolas smiled at her and looked down at the drawing at his feet. He bent down and picked it up as Ariana rubbed her hands against her dress, trying to get the black off her fingertips.

Ariana felt a blush redden her cheeks as she watched Legolas study her art. When she was younger and art had been her passion, she rarely showed anyone her art. She'd been afraid someone would scream and try to burn her drawings. The fact that Legolas was taking so much time with her drawing made her a little nervous.

Finally, Legolas raised his eyes from and drawing and looked at Ariana. "This is beautiful, he said quietly.

Ariana laughed and took the drawing back from him and looked at it herself. The drawing was far from finished. She'd only begun adding texture to the lower section of the tree when Legolas had returned.

Ariana set the drawing to the side and looked back at Legolas. He stepped up to her and ran his fingers through her hair as he looked into her eyes. Ariana felt the familiar thump in her chest as Legolas eyes surrounded her.

Suddenly Ariana heard voices in her head. They were screaming. The sound of metal striking metal also filled her head. Ariana remembered her nightmare of the night before. Now, after the Council, Ariana realized what it meant. _Sauron is going to regain his power._

Ariana pulled back from Legolas and took a step back. Legolas had a look of confusion on his beautiful face. Ariana opened her mouth as to say something, but no sound came out. 

"Ariana, what is it? What is wrong?" Legolas asked as he watched her. His hand itched to touch her, but he left it at his side. There was a look of horror on her face and Legolas didn't know what to do.

Ariana took a deep breath and looked at the floor. _Sauron was going to get hi power back and he will destroy all of Middle Earth and it's all because of me._

A sudden pain ripped though Ariana's head. She pressed her forehead with her hand and looked back at Legolas. A faint mark still remained on his light check. _Almost like he's been marked. __Oh Legolas…_

Legolas watched as a tear formed in Ariana's eye. He quickly wrapped his arms around her and held her close. Ariana pressed her face against his shoulder and stood listening to his heartbeat. _Whatever I do, I'll lose him,_ Ariana thought to herself. _I can't have him._

Ariana pulled back and looked up at Legolas. Like every time she looked at him, she felt her heart do a small flip. She loved him, but now had to give him up.

_It's not fair. I just met him. I travel back in time, meet my soul mate, then I have to lose him._

Legolas looked into Ariana's eyes, trying to understand what she wasn't telling him. He swept a strand of hair away from her face and kissed her softly. Ariana wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back.

The next thing Ariana knew was they were stretched out n her bed and Legolas' hands were resting on her hips.

_Stop it,_ Ariana told herself. _Stop thinking like that._

Legolas began untying the strings on the top of her dress.

_Maybe things will work out…_

He slide the dress down her shoulder, exposing her chest.

_I'm already in wonderland…_

Ariana's breath caught in her throat as Legolas gently kissed her breast.

_Maybe everything will have a happy ending._

Ariana pulled off the rest of her dress and Legolas shed his clothing.

_Just stop thinking…._

******Notes******

::grins:: They're like rabbits. Anyways, moving on… "Why, tell me why, why, why, Georgia why?" Another John Mayer song. Maybe I should get a different CD… [I own nothing, except for Ariana. If you need farther instructions, please visit the first chapter.]


	14. Light of a Campfire

**The Traveler: Chapter Fourteen**

Ariana slowly opened her eyes. A golden shim covered the room. She could see out the window that the sun was just beginning to set. 

Ariana felt a warm breath on the back of her neck and she gently turned her head to look behind her. Legolas lay sleeping behind her, his arm laying across her body. The covers were resting at his waist, his smooth chest rising and falling steadily.

Smiling, Ariana laid her head back down and closed her eyes. She felt Legolas' body pressing against her back. She'd never felt as safe as she did now, in his arms.

_Cherish it while it lasts_, a small voice said in the back of her head. _Remember the way his hair falls, the way he holds his bow, the way he touches your skin, the way he kisses you. Remember it all cause you don't get to keep him. Ariana's eyes popped open as this last thought came to her._

It scared her to think all this, but she couldn't help it. Sauron wasn't going to stop until he regained his power and when he does, nothing would survive. Ariana silently cursed the Dark Lord. He was the devil of Middle Earth. _So what does that make me? Some kind of angel? Oh god, we're screwed._

Ariana's gaze swept over the room as she felt the familiar sting of tears.  Suddenly, her eyes fell on the forgotten charcoal under the window. She stared at it for a few minutes, then she quietly slide out from under Legolas' arm. Art always helped to ease Ariana's mind and she had a beautiful and unconscious model waiting for her.

Ariana grabbed the charcoal and a clean piece of parchment and settled herself on the ground across the room from the bed. The orange light coming in the through the window still held enough light for Ariana to sketch quickly.

Legolas lay on his side, the arm that had held Ariana now stretched out in front of him. Ariana was happy to see his eyes were closed as he slept. She took that to mean he was finally feeling safe too.

Another voice suddenly began yelling in her head about how it was her fault but Ariana blocked it out. She didn't want to cry anymore. 

* * *

Legolas slowly opened his eyes. The room was darkening quickly as the sun finally set behind the trees. Legolas stretched his limbs and sat up. "Ariana?" he quietly asked the dark room.

His keen Elf eyes spotted her a few feet away, bent over a drawing. She looked up when he said her name. A small pout came to her lips. "You moved."

Legolas chuckled as he slipped out of bed and crouched down beside Ariana. He looked at Ariana's drawing and frowned.

Ariana saw the look on his face and quickly folded the parchment up. Then she looked at Legolas and smiled. "So I can hold on to you," she said quietly.

Legolas looked at her for a moment, then stood up, pulling Ariana up with him. "You are not going to lose me," Legolas said. Then he pulled Ariana to him and kissed her.

As Legolas' lips pressed against her own, Ariana felt a sob catch in he back of her throat. _But I will, _echoed in her mind. Legolas broke away from Ariana and smiled at her. Ariana couldn't help but smile back. 

The smile faded from Legolas' face as he suddenly looked to the window. Ariana watched him sniff the air silently.

"What is it?" she asked him as she also looked to the window.

"I am not sure," Legolas paused. "But I smell smoke."

"A fire?"

Suddenly a sly grin spread across Legolas' face. "And I hear Hobbit laughter."

Ariana laughed and looked back at Legolas. His own face was lit up with his beautiful smile. Ariana felt a painful pull in her chest but shrugged it off. 

Legolas let go of Ariana's hands and stepped closer to the window, searching out the source of the smoke. Ariana stooped and picked up the loose pieces of parchment and charcoal that lay forgotten on the floor. She slipped the parchment and charcoal into a small pocket on the hip of her dress, along with her drawing of Legolas.

As she stood up again, Legolas grabbed her arm and gently pulled her towards the door.

"What is it Legolas?" she asked worriedly. She'd never seen him so excited.

"I think I know what is going on," Legolas quickly replied. "Come with me."

Ariana figured anything would be better then sitting in the dark, alone so she agreed. The two left the room and made their way through and out of the House of Elrond.

******Notes******

::frowns:: Well, that was a much shorter chapter than I thought it was. ::shrugs and sips her soda:: Moving on! [So I says to Mable, I says… We'll finish this late, oh, and check the first chapter for the disclaimer.]


	15. The Final Attack

**The Traveler: Chapter Fifteen**

The forest was even more beautiful at night. A dark blue veil had fallen across the trees and the grass, creating an eerily claming effect. The stars were twinkling above their heads like hundreds of candles as Ariana and Legolas made there way into the night, hand in hand. A round full moon provided more then enough light to show their path. 

In the distance, Ariana would see the source of Legolas' smoke. What looked to be a small campfire was set up a couple dozen yards away. Ariana could see a few figures sitting around the fire and she could make a pretty good guess at who they were.

"Legolas!" a gruff voice shouted from one of the smaller figures. "Legolas, my lad, come join us!"

Ariana heard Legolas let out a small laugh as he helped her into the small clearing. Around the fire were seated 6 figures, all who'd been at the council earlier in the day. The light of the fire cast a warm glow over all of them and Ariana automatically felt comfortable with these people. 

A small man was making his way towards Ariana and Legolas; Ariana recognized him and Gimli, Legolas' old friend. _He's also the dwarf who wants very much to meet the traveler_, a voice said in Ariana's head. She winced and tried to forget the voice.

Ariana felt Legolas release her hand and watched him hug the dwarf. When the two parted, Gimli's eyes came to rest on Ariana.

Suddenly, Legolas' voice came from beside her. "Master Dwarf, may I present Lady Ariana."

Ariana smiled and gave a small curtsey, hoping it was the right thing to do. She figured a handshake wouldn't be the best idea.

When she looked back to Gimli, a curious look was on his face. "Ariana? That does not sound like an Elvish name."

"That is because I'm not Elvish." Ariana had no idea why the fact she was not an Elf would cause a problem for the dwarf. 

Though the smile that broke out across Gimli's face relieved Ariana's anxiety. He let out a small laugh. "Any friend of Legolas is a friend of mine, Lady Ariana," and with that he gave a small bow.

Ariana laughed and thanked him. Legolas and Ariana followed Gimli to the fire and the two took a seat on one of the logs that had been placed around the fire.

Ariana sat quietly as the males surrounding her began to tell their stories to each other. She watched Legolas laugh at the two hobbits, Merry and Pippin. She couldn't help but smile at him. 

Ariana frowned and looked around the group. She had to oddest sensation of someone watching her. She found the source, straight across from her. Aragorn, King of Gondor, sat silently watching her, puffing on a long pipe. Ariana quickly dropped her gaze and tried to ignore the dark set of eyes.

Something about the King's gaze set Ariana on edge. She felt like he was invading her mind, finding out the truth of her presence at the council. She wasn't sure what to do. When they all had been gathered at the council, Ariana felt like Aragorn was a just man; that he was a fair King who looked after his people. The only problem with that was how would he take the threat of her presence in Middle Earth? Would he feel the need to destroy this threat against his people? Ariana didn't care to think about it.

Suddenly, Ariana felt a small, warm hand on her arm. She looked over and found a set of blue eyes on her. Frodo Baggins had moved to her side and his hand rested on her arm.

Ariana heard Gimli's booming voice behind her and knew Legolas' attention was elsewhere.

"Hello Frodo," she whispered with a smile. 

"Hello Lady Ariana," came is quiet reply.

Something about the hobbit's demeanor gave Ariana a feeling of great sorrow. She felt a small tug in her chest as she stared into his eyes.

After a short moment of silence, Ariana gave a small laugh. "Well, I'm not sure what to do now."

Frodo smiled a little at her words and patted her arm. "Not all things are lost, Lady Ariana. Remember that, not all things."

Ariana gave him a confused look and began to ask him about it when Pippin jumped up from his seat and began singing a very odd song.

When Ariana looked back to her side, Frodo had slipped off and was once again seated next to his friend, Sam. Ariana watched him for a few minutes, running his words through her mind again and again. 

Pippin eventually settled down and rejoined Merry off to Ariana's right. The two began a conversation with Aragorn and Ariana once again watched the King. If she didn't know any better, she'd never say Aragorn was a king. His clothing showed more of a woodsman then anything else. His long cloak had mud stains on the bottom and covered most of his body. Ariana saw the hilt of a sword on his hip and felt a little shiver speed down her spine.

Ariana looked up to Aragorn's face and realized he was once again watching her. Ariana kept her gave level with his and finally, to Ariana's surprise, a smile came to the King's face. A large weight was lifted off Ariana and she smiled back at him. Something had passed between the too, perhaps a recognition of who each actually was, and everything was settled. 

Aragorn looked back down to Merry and Pippin and Ariana relaxed a little, only to feel Legolas' body tense beside her. She looked over to him. He sat straight, his head cocked just slightly to the side, listening intently. She left him alone to listen for a few moments. 

"Legolas, what is it?" came Aragorn's voice from across the fire.

Legolas didn't answer right away. He was still listening. Suddenly, fear and anger flashed in the elf's eyes. He looked across the fire at Aragorn and simply replied, "Orcs."

Ariana felt a shiver of fear speed down her spine. The memory of the three Orcs on the lake side flashed in her mind. Everyone stood up and watched the woods surrounding them. Legolas already had his bow out, an arrow resting on the string. Aragorn's sword was drawn, extending from his arm, the fire's light sparkling off the metal. Gimli and the Hobbit's followed suit and Ariana thought the dagger from King Thandruil, tightly strapped to her thigh, under her dress. 

Legolas turned to her, his eyes a blaze. "Ariana, run. Go to the House and warn them of the attack." 

"Legolas, I can't-" Ariana began but he stopped her. "Go Ariana! There are too many of them." 

Ariana looked into his eyes and felt everything falling apart. She didn't know what to do. She didn't want to leave Legolas, but she knew they would need help if there were as many Orcs as Legolas said.

She quickly turned and tore off into the forest. Aragorn and Legolas watched her disappear toward the House as twenty Orcs appeared from the opposite direction.

******Notes******

::grabs a bag of popcorn:: Yeah! Now we're getting to the action! Of course, it's nothing compared to Helm's Deep, but it'll do until I can get back to the cinema. [Da, da, da, da, DAA-DAH! Disclaimer: First chapter, at the beginning. You can't miss it.]


	16. Falling Into the Wrong Hands

**The Traveler: Chapter Sixteen**

Ariana couldn't tell if she was going in the right direction, but she continued on as straight as she could. Her feet pounding against the ground as she ducked under a tree branch. She actually felt terrified, more scared then she'd ever felt. It was probably the fact that Legolas had shown fear that Ariana was most afraid of. She'd always figured there was nothing in Middle Earth that the elf couldn't handle. She was wrong. 

Ariana stopped for a second to catch her breath. _The House should be around here somewhere._ She looked around and saw a light a few yards ahead. She grinned and started to jog towards the house. She didn't know that standing in the shadow was a very large Orc. He stepped out in front of her and she ran right into him. She fell back onto the ground and groaned at the pain. Then she realized what she'd hit. She screamed and scrambled back onto her feet. 

Another Orc was standing behind her and two more to her left and right. "Oh shit," she whispered as the four closed in on her. 

* * *

Legolas aimed his bow and released the arrow. An Orc that had been advancing on Aragorn lay on the ground. Only a few more Orc were standing in the clearing, and that number was quickly disappearing. Aragorn stood by Legolas as the last Orc feel. "Something is wrong," Legolas said as he looked around the clearing. "There were more Orcs. I know it. I could feel them, but why didn't they come?"

Aragorn also surveyed the clearing. "Perhaps they had a different goal," Aragorn said slowly. He looked at Legolas, then to the woods Ariana had disappeared into. 

Legolas opened his mouth to answer him when he heard Ariana's scream. His eyes widened and he took off into the woods, Aragorn following closely behind him. Gimli and the Hobbits watched then take off, and after checking to make sure all the Orcs were dead, they too followed.

Legolas cursed himself for sending Ariana off by herself. _Of course they were after Ariana. _

Legolas and Aragorn came onto the spot where the Orcs had taken Ariana very quickly. The two knelt down and studied the patterns of the grass and footsteps in the small space. 

"Four Orcs. They surrounded her," Aragorn said, "took off with her in that direction." He pointed off into a very dark part of the woods. 

Legolas stood up and began to set off after Ariana. Aragorn placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him. 

"What are you doing Aragorn? We have to go after her!"

Aragorn's face was hidden in a shadow, but his voce was still strong. "We have to see Gandalf and Lord Elrond first."

Legolas was stunned. "If we do not move now, we will lose the trail."

Aragorn shook his head sadly. "Legolas, do you now see what direction they are heading?"

Legolas looked back into the woods and he realized what Aragorn was saying. _Isengard. Gimli and the four Hobbits had arrived by now and stood wondering what was going on. _

"What is going on Aragorn?" Frodo asked.

Aragorn looked at Legolas first, then turned to the hobbit. "Orcs have taken Lady Ariana."

Legolas looked over at Aragorn. "Why Isengard? Why not take her all the way to Mordor?"

"Isengard is closer. Sauron does not need Ariana in Mordor for his power to work."

Aragorn watched Gimli from the corner of his eye. The dwarf was leaning on his ax, watching the exchange. After the council had ended earlier that day, Gimli had questioned Aragorn about the girl accompanying the wizard and elf. Aragorn, in keeping his word with Gandalf, and told the dwarf very little, but Gimli had figured things out on his own. Ariana was the Traveler, she held the power to destroy Middle Earth, and now, Sauron had her.

* * *

Ariana could smell the Orc that carried her. His stench almost overwhelmed her. She could feel it entering her pours, seeping and covering her skin. 

She couldn't see anything. They had blindfolded her as soon as they got out of the woods. Her hands were tied in front of her, her feet were bond just the same and a piece of cloth covered her mouth, keeping her from screaming. The cord were cutting into her wrist and she could feel the blood dripping off the tips of her fingers. 

Ariana was only conscious of three things: the dagger still attached to her thigh, she was thankful the Orcs hadn't searched her; the drawing of Legolas still tucked into her pocket; and the necklace. It was on fire against her skin. She'd felt it begin to burn when the Orcs surrounded her and now she could feel it burning her skin.

She wanted to cry, she wanted to scream, but most of all she wanted to see Legolas again. She knew it was trite, but she wanted to see him again. She still believed he would save her. She just hoped he and the others had made it away from those other Orcs. 

Ariana heard one of the Orcs ahead of them yell out something, then she felt herself being dropped onto the ground. She groaned and tried to sit up, but a large hand pushed her back down and she heard laughter. 

Another hand grabbed the blindfold and pulled it up over her head. Ariana blinked a few times and tried to scream, forgetting the bind across her mouth. This brought more laughs from the Orcs surrounding her. 

Ariana tried to keep the tears out of her eyes as long as possible. She felt hopeless and alone, much like her first day in Middle Earth. _Legolas had saved me then, maybe he'll save me now._

******Notes******

::hangs head:: I know, I know, she sounds pathetic. Well, if I was captured by Orcs I would hope to God Lego would come and save my sorry ass. ::smiles sweetly:: [Disclaimer: Chapter 1. Warnings: Chapter One. Legolas: Priceless.]


	17. Aye, to Isengard We Go

**The Traveler: Chapter Seventeen**

Aragorn lead them back to the House of Elrond. Legolas trailed behind, a look of desperation on his face. He couldn't forgive himself. He'd be a fool to let Ariana go alone and now there was nothing for him to do.

They found Elrond and Gandalf out on the porch that the council had taken place at earlier that day. 

Gandalf looked up at them as they entered, "What is going on?"

Aragorn looked back at Legolas then turned back to them. "It is Lady Ariana. We were attacked by Orcs and they carried her off." Aragorn looked down, then back up again. "They set off towards Isengard."

Gandalf looked toward Legolas and saw the sorrow on the elf's face. "So Sauron has the Traveler." Gandalf stated sadly. 

A silence settled over the council area. None of them knew what to do, except Legolas. He looked up at Gandalf, then Elrond. "I am going after her."

"Legolas," Gandalf began, "there is no point. The Orcs have her and will not stop until they have reach Isengard. Whence they have arrived, it will be Ariana's decision."

"Gandalf, I know you speak the truth, but I cannot let them take her without following. I cannot just let her go." 

Aragorn was watching the elf. It was obvious Legolas had feelings for the girl and Aragorn hoped it was not clouding his judgment. "Legolas, I will go with you, my friend." 

Gandalf let out a sigh and stood up from his chair. "Then we shall follow the Orcs to Isengard," and with that it was set. Legolas, Aragorn, Gandalf and Gimli set off after the Orcs. The four Hobbits had put up quite a protest about being left behind, but eventually they settled down and understood the four would be able to travel faster without them.

After only a few minutes, they were saddled and ready to ride. Legolas hoped they would not be too late.

* * *

The two groups traveled for days, one right on the trail of the other. Ariana lost track of the days as they moved across mountains and plains. Every night she was laid down on the hard ground where she slept for only a few hours before they were moving again. Her hands were covered in dried blood, along with her dress. She had cuts all over her legs and arms from trees and bushes. She began to think the Orcs purposely tracked through the underbrush just to hear her gasp in pain as she was cut. 

At the end of each day, she would lay on her side, trying to keep the now lava-hot necklace off her skin. Her chest was covered in small round burns from the pendant. She wanted to rip it off and through it down a deep, dark whole. She wished she'd never arrived in Middle Earth. She wished she'd opened her door and picked up that God-forsaken package.

She wished a lot of things, laying on the cold ground, trying to sleep at night. Every night though, the last thing she thought about was Legolas and whether or not he was coming for her.

What Ariana didn't know what that Legolas, Aragorn, Gimli and Gandalf were only a few hundred yards behind the band of Orcs. They had barely slept the first week of their travel, trying to gain much needed ground on the Orcs. Legolas would stay up at night, watching the forest while the other three slept, though Aragorn would stay up watching Legolas. 

At first, Gimli had wanted to attack the Orcs and rescue Ariana, but Gandalf stopped him. Gandalf explained that Sauron had eyes everywhere, mostly likely watching them at that very minute, but as long as they made no move to rescue Ariana, they were safe. Sauron was so sure that Ariana was his, he would not waste his time on them. They would follow the Orcs to Isengard, then find out what the next move was to be.

Legolas had not been to happy with this plan, but he did not argue with Gandalf. He felt Ariana near him and he knew she was alive. He watched the light of the Orc's fire and wondered how many he could kill before they got to him.

* * *

The last couple of days of the journey, Ariana was allowed to see. The Orcs left the blindfold off her, but left the mouth-bind. Her mouth was completely dry. She doubted she would even be able to scream if the mouth piece wasn't in place. 

Her legs were weak and she could barely raise her head. When the Orc dropped her on the ground for the last night before they reached Isengard, Ariana was asleep in no time. She couldn't have kept her eyes open for anything. She'd barely walked any of the trip, but she still had no energy. She figured it was the fact she only had something to drink or eat every other day. She figured Sauron told them to bring her to him alive, but just barely. 

Maybe he figured he could break her more easily if she was so close to death. _Well screw him, Ariana thought one night. _Screw him and all-mighty power. The minute I get my hands free…_ and she could never finish that sentence, even in her mind. She didn't want Sauron to gain power over Middle Earth, but she wasn't ready to die either. She couldn't leave Legolas. Yes, she still believed she'd see him again. She knew it was folly, but it's what kept her alive._

* * *

Ariana awoke in large, stone room. It was completely bare, except for a chair in a corner of the room. A cloak was draped across the back of the chair and Ariana grabbed it and pulled it around her shoulders. It was freezing in the room. She felt her teeth chattering. She didn't understand. The floor and walls radiated heat, but she was freezing. 

There was a large wooden door and across from it a window. First, Ariana checked the door and wasn't surprised to find it locked. Then she turned to the window. She took a step towards and was hit by a feeling of déjà vu. Then she realized it was her dream, her dream of war and being stuck in this room. 

She stood, holding her breath. She closed her eyes and listened to the voices coming through the window. She felt her breath catch in her throat as she heard a clear ringing of metal on metal. "Oh no…" Ariana moaned as she slide down onto the ground. She couldn't bring herself to look out the window. 

If she had, she would have see the Orcs only practicing against each other. No Legolas, no Aragorn, no one she cared for. But there were out there. The four were only a few yards away from the tower of Isengard, fully rebuilt. Gimli had stood in awe, staring up at the grand tower. "If she is in there, we will never reach her," the dwarf said to himself.

Legolas sat watching the Orcs infront of the tower. There were dozens of them. It would take too long to go through them. Things seemed hopeless to the four travelers.

******Notes******

Yeah… I don't have much to say for this chapter. It's just moving the story along… to Isengard. I feel bad for Lego in this chapter. He's beating himself up over it all. Poor guy. ::realizes she wrote it that way:: Oh wait… [I'm running out of cute ways to tell you guys the disclaimer's back in chapter one…]


	18. I'm So Sorry

**The Traveler: Chapter Eighteen**

Ariana opened her eyes and looked around the room again. _I passed out? Ariana gently touched her forehead and felt a warm stickiness. She drew her hand back and saw the fresh blood crimson on her fingertips. _

A wave of sickness filled her stomach but she swallowed it back and sat up. The sky outside her room was almost completely dark. Once again, Ariana heard the clanking of metal coming through the window, but this time she heard the Orcs shouting and she would have sworn she heard the calls of men as well. 

She stared at the window and tried to force herself to look, to see if Legolas had finally come to her. 

_Yes, look for your Legolas._ Ariana screamed and backed into the wall. A horrible voice had filled the room, or had it just been her mind? She couldn't stop herself and she began to cry. 

"Please, please just leave me alone. I don't want to help you!" she screamed at the voice. 

_I'm sorry, Lady Ariana, but you do not have a choice. You WILL help me. I am Sauron, Lord of Middle Earth, and I will have my power!_ The walls shuck and rumbled as a sudden jolt of the most excruciating pain imaginable shot throughout Ariana's body. A scream ripped out of her mouth before she could control herself. She fell onto the floor and blacked out.

She came to a few minutes later, though the pain was still washing over her body. Nothing had ever hurt this much in her entire life. She felt as though she was being ripped in two, that Sauron was trying to get into her center.

Ariana pushed herself onto her hands and knees, and the picture of Legolas fell out of her pocket. Ariana sat back down and grabbed the paper and unfolded it. Her Legolas, her love, her reason to live. She closed her eyes and imagined his touch on her skin. She placed the picture on the ground and pulled her knees to her chest. 

She thought about everything she would be losing. She thought about Legolas mostly, but Aragorn, Frodo, Gandalf… "I can't do this," she whispered to herself. "I can't do this to them." 

She pulled the hem of her dress up and grab her dagger. She said a silent thank you to King Thranduil and placed the knife to her chest. _Do it before you lose your courage. Just do it! and with that thought, she pushed._

* * *

The attack had not been planned, more of a misunderstanding between the four and the Orcs. Gandalf's assumption seemed to be right, the Orcs left the four alone as long as they kept their distance from Isengard. The only problem with that was no one was quite sure where the imaginary line was drawn. 

Gimli found this out for the group pretty damn quickly. As the second night of their camping outside the walls of Isengard began, the tense was already weighing on most of them. Gimli took to pacing back and forth, staring up at the tower as he walked closer to it, then turning back and heading towards the camp. As he passed a rather large tree, a swing from one of the Orcs nearly took the dwarf's head off.  

Thus, the surprise attack on Isengard came to a shock mostly to Aragorn, Legolas, Gandalf and Gimli. Legolas' only thought was Ariana, in that tower and the fact he had to get to her and soon. 

The Orcs did not seem intent on killing the four, only postponing them from entering the tower. They would come in sets of a few dozen, then calm for only a few minutes, then another set. So started the night and it didn't look to finish any other way. The four were making their way closer and closer to the tower, though it was going by too slowly. 

After the fifth band of Orcs was killed, the four made a break for the tower. They were stopped only a few feet from the entrance by an even larger number of Orcs. Legolas drew back his bow and aimed it at an advancing Orc. It dropped dead in it's tracks, an arrow sticking out of it's chest. Legolas looked around at the battle. Aragorn, Gimli and Gandalf were all busy with Orcs of their own. The ground around them was scattered with dead Orcs, though dozens more were advancing on them.

_We need help_, Legolas thought to himself and he drew his own double-edged daggers. Another Orc fell to the ground. "We don't have time for this," Legolas said silently to himself.

Suddenly the ground around them began to shack violently. Everyone, including most of the Orcs looked up to the top of the tower. A large bellow had spilled forth from one of the windows and Legolas could make out Ariana's scream.

Legolas gave a grunt and charge a few of the Orcs still standing around the entrance of the tower. He burst through them and tore off down the hallway. Aragorn was hot on his heels. Gimli and Gandalf followed behind, watching the stunned Orcs, who almost seemed confused. 

High in the tower, Ariana lay on the cold floor, knocked out from Sauron's mighty force against her. When she came to, Legolas was only a few dozen feet away, outside the door, caught in another small fight with a few Orcs. And as she placed the dagger to her chest, he was running down the hall to her room.

* * *

Legolas came to a locked door and knew instinctively that Ariana was behind it. He slashed at the lock, which fell to the floor. He pushed the door open slowly, waiting for another set of Orcs. 

What he found was even worse. Ariana lay on the floor, a dagger sticking from her chest. 

Legolas quietly called her name and dropped to the floor next to Ariana. She lay on her back, one hand loosely clasped around the dagger, the other laying by her side. Her beautiful forest eyes were closed to the world. 

Legolas said her name again and stroked her cheek. He was surprised to feel it still warm. He watched her open her eyes slowly. A gentle calmness was covering her face. She couldn't feel the pain anymore and was grateful for that.

"Legolas…" she trailed off. Ariana could taste the blood in her mouth. She brought her hand up from her side and grabbed his. Legolas gently kissed her hand and tried to smile at her but he couldn't seem to bring himself to do it.

Aragorn stood by the door, watching the two in the middle of the room. Down the hall, Gimli and Gandalf were mounting the top steps. Aragorn looked down the hall to them and motioned for them to come quietly.

Legolas swallowed thickly and found his voice. "Ariana, you did not have to do this." 

Ariana would have laughed if everything wasn't getting so fuzzy around her. "Yes I did. There was nothing else for me to do." She felt her eyes burning with tears and noticed Legolas' cheeks were wet with his own tears. She stroked his cheek and rubbed his tears away. "Oh god, Legolas. I'm so sorry." She dropped her hand and closed her eyes. "I'm so sorry…"

"No!" Legolas yelled and cupped the back of Ariana's neck. "No, Ariana. Please, please do not leave me."

Ariana opened her eyes again and saw in a fuzzy grain, like an old film that's seen it's last days. "I love you Legolas," she whispered.

Legolas hugged Ariana's limp body and whispered back, "I love you too, melamin."

And with that, Ariana was gone.

******Notes******

::wipes away a tear:: I have no idea why, but I loved writing this chapter. ::grins evilly:: I like the part when Lego and Co. finally get into the scuffle with the Orcs. But, whenever I read the end, I always cry… I'm such a crybaby. It's so sad! ::frowns:: So, you guys ready for the last chapter? [Yada, yada, yada. Disclaimer is in the first chapter.]


	19. Forever Is Good

**The Traveler: Chapter Nineteen**

Legolas sat holding Ariana for a very long time. Aragorn couldn't bring himself to pull him away. Gimli stood in the hall, his head lowered. Aragorn thought he heard the dwarf's quiet crying. Gandalf, on the other hand, seemed to be pondering something. He kept looking out the window at the mounting moon, then back to Legolas and Ariana. Aragorn knew the old wizard was up to something, but wasn't sure what. 

Aragorn stepped up to Legolas slowly, who had finally laid Ariana back on the ground. The elf now sat silently on the ground, staring absently at the dagger, which now lay harmless on the floor. 

The small dagger looked to be of Elvish craft to Aragorn. He wouldn't be surprised to find out if Legolas or another elf had given it to Ariana for protection.

"Legolas," Aragorn said as soft as he could. At first, he thought the elf hadn't even heard him. He continued to stare at the dagger, which was still covered in a thin layer of blood. "Legolas, I'm sorry," Aragorn said as he laid his hand on the elf's shoulder. 

Legolas just continued to sit there, staring at nothing, saying nothing, thinking nothing.

Aragorn crouched down and looked at Legolas' face. "Legolas, we must leave here. Those Orcs outside, they will not wait. We will take Ariana back with us." Aragorn waited for Legolas' reaction, but it looked like the elf hadn't even heard him.

But Gandalf had. The wizard stepped forward into the room and cleared his throat. "I would not worry about the Orcs, Aragorn. They know it is pointless now that Sauron's power has been destroyed. I would not be surprised if they have already all vanished."

Gandalf looked back out the window again and Aragorn followed his gaze. He'd forgot that night was falling. A large bright moon rose high about the trees. It's light streamed into the room and gave everything a soft glow. Gandalf looked back and caught Aragorn's eye. "Now, I believe it's time the rest of Nahron's prediction of the Traveler's arrival come to light," Gandalf said as he approached Legolas and Ariana. 

Legolas looked up at the wizard. "The rest…" he trailed off as Gandalf smiled down at him. 

"There is a part that only a few know, of Nahron's prediction. In giving up her life, Ariana has saved all of Middle Earth. In doing so, by her own free will, she's gained an understanding of the important of life."

Legolas kept looking back between Gandalf and Ariana. She looked almost as though she was asleep. Her hair was pooled around her head and the moonlight washed over it, making the hair glow a pale gold. It reminded Legolas of another elf. 

"Now," Gandalf began, "for her sacrifice, Ariana has been given the chance for immortality." Aragorn's head snapped up to look at the wizard. He had been watching Legolas up until then. 

Aragorn wasn't the only one now watching Gandalf. Gimli, though silent since he arrived in the room, now seemed overjoyed with the news Gandalf brought. The whole room actually seemed to lighten. The moonlight seemed to intensify with the wizard's words.

"How do we wake her up, Gandalf?" Aragorn asked the wizard.

Gandalf motioned to Ariana. "Her necklace, Legolas. Take the necklace from her neck."

Legolas did what he was told. He held back his tears as he moved over Ariana's still body. He could feel her skin against his. He wanted nothing more then to have her back.

Legolas stood up and looked at Gandalf, the necklace in hand.

"Now, break it."

Legolas looked at the necklace in his hand. The small green orb in the middle seemed to sparkle with a life of it's own. He let it drop to the floor and heard the glass shatter. After that, a heavy silence filled the room. Along with it came even more moonlight. It filled the room. Everything around the four seemed to glow brighter and brighter. It grew so bright that they had to shield their eyes. 

As soon as it had began, it was over. The moonlight faded out to what it had been before and Legolas could see Gandalf standing before him.

"Look!" Gimli spoke for the first time since entering the room.

Legolas turned back to Ariana. She still lay on the floor, the dagger beside her, but the blood that had stained her dress was gone. All that remained was the small tear in the dress. As Legolas starred at the spot, he noticed the gentle rise and fall of Ariana's chest. She was breathing.

Legolas fell to his knees beside her body and quietly called Ariana's name. He watched her eyelids flicker, become still, then flicker again. Eventually, after a few tense moments, Ariana's eyes opened again to the world. 

A small groan past her lips as she tried to sit up. Legolas gently pushed her back to the ground. "No, Ariana. Please, stay down."

"Legolas…" Ariana's voice came out barely above a whisper. She felt chilled throughout her body, like all the heat had drained out of her. A dull pain throbbed in her chest and head. Besides those small ailments, she felt fine.

Legolas' face was covered in a huge smile. He could hardly believe his eyes. Ariana was alive and well, though a little hoarse. He watched her close her eyes for a few minutes, then open them again. "Legolas, what's going on?" she asked in her whisper. 

Legolas leaned close to her. "You saved us all," he said simply. Then he gently kissed her lips. 

* * *

Soon, the newly acquired five were heading back to Rivendall. Their pace was slow, though they were in no hurry now. Ariana sat cradled against Legolas' body, listening quietly to the elf's story. He told her about the attack of the Orcs, then their mad dash to follow them to Isengard. He also began to tell her about what he found in the room atop the tower, but she stopped him before he could get to far. She didn't want to be reminded of her brush with death again. 

Then he told her about the final part of Nahron's prophecy. That if the traveler gave up their life by their own free will, they would be rewarded with the gift of immortality. Ariana gasped at that and looked up into the elf's eyes. "I'm immortal now?" she asked him quietly. 

Legolas nodded his head and kissed her brow. "Yes, melamin. We now will be together forever."

Ariana wrapped her hand around Legolas' neck and pulled him down for a long kiss. When she released him, he smiled down at her. "Forever is good," she said with a smile.

The end.

******Notes******

::sits back and grins:: Well, that was fun. I hope you all enjoyed it. I was really tempted just to let Ariana be dead. I mean, not all stories have happy endings, but a few weeks ago when I was writing this trying to finish up this story, my sister said something to me that changed my mind. She said that people read stories to get away from the terrors of real life. If they wanted grief and hardships, they'd stick with the real world and stay away from the fairy tales and happy endings that are associated with them. ::smiles:: So I saved Ariana. Besides, I've got requests for a sequel, and that would be harder to do with my leading lady deceased. ::shrugs:: Who knows? [Ya know, if you don't know where the disclaimer is by now, I pity you.] 


End file.
